Planned Four-Day Strike at Queen of Angels-Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center Ends
About 200 health care employees at Queen of Angels-Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center will return to work today following a four-day strike that ended yesterday, the Los Angeles Times reports. Nurses, lab technicians, therapists and other staff members represented by Service Employees International Union Local 399 started the strike Friday to protest what they say are low wages and inadequate benefits. The workers' contract with the hospital expired May 13, and negotiations stalled one week later. Workers are seeking higher wages, saying that pay at the facility is not competitive with other area hospitals. The union rejected the hospital's last contract offer, which included an 11% pay raise over two years (McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 5/28). No new talks have been scheduled, the Ventura County Star reports (Ventura County Star, 5/28). Hospital spokesperson Greg Monette said that Queen of Angels hired 150 replacement nurses and workers to "fill the void" left by the strike, adding that "operations ran smoothly." Union representatives said another strike is possible if the hospital fails to improve its contract offer (Los Angeles Times, 5/28).
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