SEIU Workers to Strike at Three San Francisco Hospitals
About 700 workers from three Sutter Health-owned San Francisco hospitals will go on a three-day strike beginning today, marking the latest action in an ongoing dispute over staffing levels, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The strike, which involves vocational nurses, radiology technicians, aides and clerks represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 250, will affect California Pacific Medical Center's three San Francisco facilities (Colliver, San Francisco Chronicle, 1/30). SEIU Local 250 workers had planned to include three Catholic Healthcare West facilities in today's strike, but "fruitful" last-minute negotiations between union representatives and CHW officials led to the cancellation of the walkout (San Jose Mercury News, 1/30). However, the three CHW hospitals -- St. Francis Memorial Hospital and St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco and Seton Medical Center in Daly City -- could still face a strike in two weeks if a deal is not reached, SEIU spokesperson David Bates said. Bates said that the workers are seeking a greater voice in staffing decisions. However, CHW spokesperson Robert Polzoni said that the hospital chain and the union have "settled staffing issues" and are now negotiating wages. Last December, more than 5,000 SEIU workers held a one-day strike at 16 Northern California hospitals (San Francisco Chronicle, 1/30).
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