Members of the California Nurses Association in San Joaquin County's health system are set to strike Jan. 17.
The union represents more than 1,000 registered nurses countywide, including public health and county jail nurses, and RNs at San Joaquin General Hospital in French Camp, Calif., according to a Jan. 15 CNA news release. Healthcare workers in San Joaquin County include nurses, physicians and other professionals.
Union members issued a strike notice to the county Jan. 7. The union and county began negotiating a new labor contract in March. A county news release said that during the latest negotiations Jan. 16, the county provided CNA with a revised "last best and final offer which included an increase to base wages, bringing the overall value of the county's proposal to $54.4 million."
The union contends that the county has affected the progress of negotiations by implementing a wage increase that did not apply to all nurses, without bargaining with the union beforehand. "The county should come to the table to negotiate a strong contract that's fair to all nurses. We always strive to give our patients the best care," Kelly Mertz, RN, said in the union release.
"The county team has turned their attention to prepare for CNA's scheduled one day strike on Jan. 17, 2025," the county said in a statement. "And will work with impacted departments to ensure patient safety and to minimize impacts to the patients served by San Joaquin General Hospital."