More than 1,100 employees at two CHI Franciscan Health hospitals — St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood, Wash., and St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash. — walked off the job Tuesday as part of a one-day strike.
The workers are members of Service Employees International Union 1199NW. The union represents various employees at the system, like nursing assistants, unit secretaries, dietary aides, housekeepers and pharmacy technicians, according to a Q13FOX report. Nurses are not included in the strike.
The union and the hospitals have been in contract negotiations for more than a year, according to a KIRO7 report. They are butting heads about healthcare costs and staffing issues, among other issues.
The two hospitals remain open and available to patients during the strike, which will end Wednesday morning. "We are committed to maintaining hospital operations and providing our patients with the same high level of professional care they expect and desire," according to a hospital statement. "We have spent weeks preparing for the possibility of a strike and have plans in place to meet hospital requirements and allow us to provide care and deliver business as usual."