LAKEPORT — Dozens of California Nurses Association (CNA) members who work at Sutter Lakeside Hospital participated in a one-day strike Tuesday in response to ongoing contract negotiations.
“All we want is for them to leave our benefits and our pay alone,” registered nurse (RN) Charlotte Massey said.
Massey estimated about 40 RNs held signs outside the hospital entrance along Hill Road in Lakeport on Tuesday. Some union members stayed home, and others went to work as usual, she added.
Some passing drivers honked and yelled words of support while others drove by quietly.
As for the impact on the facility”s operations, Sutter Lakeside Hospital chief administrative officer Siri Nelson described Tuesday as “business as usual.”
She went on to say, “This strike is unfortunate and unnecessary and will do nothing to help us reach an agreement. It is disruptive to patients and will require us to divert already scarce resources to strike planning and replacement nurses.”
Hospital administration contracted with a temporary agency to provide RNs because of the strike, Nelson said.
The agency required five days of payment for each temporary nurse, so Sutter Lakeside”s striking RNs might not return to work until Sunday, according to Nelson.
“In order to ensure sufficient staff during the strike, and to prevent having to pay double for replacement workers and our existing (hospital) staff, nurses who are scheduled to work a shift (Wednesday) will be expected to report for work,” Nelson said.
“If there is a need for more nurses at this time, Sutter Lakeside nurses will work their originally scheduled shift. If the patient census numbers are satisfied by the replacement nurses, Sutter Lakeside nurses will be sent home,” she added.
Union members at the Lake County hospital were part of the nearly 4,500 RNs striking at 10 Sutter facilities across Northern California, according to labor representative Benjamin Elliott.
Tuesday marked the second Sutter Lakeside strike since the nurses” contract expired on June 30.
The two sides negotiated for nearly 10 months to date and the union recently received hospital administration”s “last, best and final” offer, according to Massey.
She said more than 50 RNs attended a local union meeting last month, and 96 percent of those voted against the hospital”s proposal. About 126 Sutter Lakeside RNs are CNA members, Massey added.
Nelson said administration supports its final offer, which “reflects our commitment to continuing to provide competitive wages and benefits, while providing some long-term economic stability for the hospital.”
Sutter Lakeside Hospital experienced more than $12 million in losses over the last three years, according to Nelson.
She also questioned union members” consideration of the recent proposal.
“Rather than allowing our nurses to vote on this final offer and receive a generous ratification bonus, the union circulated an erroneous hospital proposal with an incorrect wage grid,” Nelson said.
Massey discounted the assertion, saying the union “circulated exactly what the hospital gave us and that is what the nurses voted on.”
Lake County District 1 Supervisor candidate Victoria Brandon, whom the CNA endorsed in the upcoming election, participated in an afternoon rally with the striking nurses.
“I”m honored to be here standing in solidarity with the nurses,” Brandon said. “They”re dedicated professionals. The requests they”ve made are very reasonable and I fully support them.”
