Members of the California Nurses Association are set to hold a one-day strike Aug. 12 at West Anaheim (Calif.) Medical Center to protest what the union said is the hospital’s “refusal” to address nurse turnover.
The union represents more than 360 nurses at the hospital, according to the CNA. West Anaheim is part of Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare, a 51-hospital system with nearly 57,000 employees and affiliated physicians.
The union and the hospital began negotiating a new labor contract in February, according to the CNA. Union members voted to authorize a strike in late spring.
In a statement shared with Becker’s, a hospital spokesperson said that WAMC has offered a proposal “that would increase wages and provide a workable and affordable healthcare plan and comprehensive benefit programs among the best in the nation at little to no cost to employees.”
Union representatives contend that management failed to address their concerns about nurse turnover. “WAMC RNs are striking to urge management to invest in nursing staff and agree to a contract that provides conditions for safe patient care, measures to attract and retain nursing staff, [and] strict adherence to the legal requirements for nurse-to-patient ratios,” union representatives said in a news release.
“While we are disappointed that the union has elected to move forward with a work stoppage, we respect their right to strike as part of the negotiation process,” a hospital spokesperson said. “We value our employees and their dedication to caring for our community, and in turn, we are committed to ensuring that our mission endures.”
