Members of two unions plan to strike for one day Feb. 18 at MarinHealth Medical Center in Greenbrae, Calif., according to statements from the hospital and union representatives shared with Becker’s.
Six things to know:
1. The strike involves more than 700 nurses represented by the California Nurses Association and 500 members of Teamsters Local 856, including respiratory therapists, anesthesia technicians, emergency department technicians, phlebotomists, surgical technologists, certified nursing assistants, environmental services aides and food service workers.
2. Negotiations for Teamsters members began in March. Negotiations for CNA members began in June, according to the unions.
3. CNA said it is striking over concerns related to nurse retention, patient care and safe staffing. “We always want to give our patients the best care, but it is challenging to do that when we are stretched too thin and can’t take breaks during our 12-hour shift. We need more resource nurses to ensure patient and nurse safety,” Lynn Warner, RN, said in a news release.
4. Teamsters Local 856 described the action as a 24-hour unfair labor practice strike. The union said negotiations have included disputes over healthcare benefits and alleged bad-faith bargaining. Teamsters representatives said the hospital has proposed changes that could increase employee healthcare costs by up to $1,000 per month and has declined union-backed health and wellness proposals that the union contends would reduce overall costs.
5. In a statement, MarinHealth said it remains committed to bargaining in good faith and that the hospital will remain fully operational during the strike. Scheduled appointments, procedures and surgeries are proceeding as planned unless patients are contacted directly by their care teams.
6. Although the unions authorized a 24-hour strike beginning at 7 a.m. Pacific time Feb. 18, MarinHealth said it is preparing for a three-day replacement staffing period through 6:59 a.m. Feb. 21 due to contractual requirements with a contingency staffing company and the need to ensure uninterrupted patient care. Union representatives have characterized the extended staffing period as a lockout.
