More than 2,400 nurses, therapists, pharmacists and lab techs on Wednesday launched a Thanksgiving holiday strike at three HCA Healthcare-owned hospitals.
Corina Haney was among those planning to picket the day before the holiday.
Haney said while she’s dedicated to improving her patients’ lives, inadequate staffing has undermined her work as a nurse in the burn unit at West Hills Hospital.
“I’ve seen patients having to wait up to six hours to get their dressings changed,” the 45-year-old Simi Valley resident said. “It’s devastating to me.”
Chronic understaffing, they say, is putting patients and employees at risk.
Workers participating in the five-day walkout at Riverside Community Hospital, West Hills Hospital, and Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks are represented by SEIU 121RN.
Their labor contract expired in September and was extended to Oct. 24, but the two sides have yet to reach an agreement. The strike is scheduled to end at 7 a.m. Monday, Nov. 27.
“Nurses are leaving in droves at all three facilities,” Haney said. “We’ve lost over 100 nurses at West Hills in the last year. It’s directly related to the staffing crisis.”
In a statement issued Wednesday, HCA spokeswoman Carmella Gutierrez said the healthcare giant is “disappointed by SEIU 121RN leadership’s decision to strike,” given the effort HCA has invested in bargaining since May.
“It’s evident the labor union has not taken these sessions seriously and has intended to strike all along, despite our genuine attempts at finding common ground,” she said.
Gutierrez said HCA is drawing on the resources of its nationwide healthcare system to ensure each hospital is fully operational.
“Our doors will remain open throughout any labor union activities,” she said. “And importantly, there will be no closure of any services at this time.”
Wielding picket signs reading, “Safe staffing saves lives!” and “Patients can’t wait!”…
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