Members of the California Nurses Association are holding a one-day strike Aug. 12 at Prime Healthcare’s West Anaheim (Calif.) Medical Center.
The strike, which involves more than 360 nurses at the hospital, comes amid contract negotiations.
The union and the hospital began negotiating a new labor contract in February, according to the CNA. Union members voted in late spring to authorize a strike.
In negotiations, the union’s primary focus is addressing nurse turnover, a spokesperson told Becker’s.
“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 an Aug. 6 news release.
In a statement shared with Becker’s, the hospital said it has “already implemented wage increases last week on Aug. 8 that will provide millions of dollars to all nurses over the next three years as part of our commitment to recognizing and rewarding the dedication of our staff. In recent negotiations, the hospital delivered a proposal to the union representing these wage increases for all our nearly 400 nurses and comprehensive benefit programs that are among the best in the nation.”
The hospital, part of Ontario, Calif.-based Prime, added that it is fully open and staffed during the strike.
Prime is a 51-hospital system with nearly 57,000 employees and affiliated physicians.
