Registered Nurses at Good Samaritan and Regional Medical Center in San Jose begin a two-day strike Thursday, May 23 as RNs at five East Bay Sutter hospitals begin the final day of their seven-day walkout. Both walkouts –protests against hospital employer demands for sweeping reductions in RN standards and concerns about patient protections – will feature large mid-day rallies. —California Nurses Association, 05/23/13 More »
Registered Nurses at Good Samaritan and Regional Medical Center in San Jose have will begin a a two-day strike Thursday, May 23, continuing Friday, May 24. Key issues to protest the refusal of hospital officials to move forward in efforts to end the contract dispute with nurses which centers in large part on proposed elimination of the nurses’ pension plan, and concerns about hospital staffing. The 1,400 RNs at the two HCA-affiliated hospitals are represented by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United. —California Nurses Association, 05/22/13 More »
Fallbrook Hospital may be forced to return to contract negotiations with its registered nurses. The National Labor Relations Board is set to go to federal court June 5 to request a rare federal injunction to force the hospital to comply with federal labor law. Last May, Fallbrook RNs voted to join the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United. After initial meetings to discuss a collective bargaining contract, hospital officials walked away from talks. —San Diego Union Tribune, 05/21/13 More »
State regulators have slapped Sutter Health's Alta Bates hospital in Oakland with potential fines totaling $142,970 for six health and safety violations related to failure to properly isolate patients with airborne diseases such as tuberculosis. Two violations were determined to be “serious” and “willful,” carrying a proposed penalty of $70,000 each. —Sacramento Business Journal, 05/21/13 More »
Registered Nurse Thorild Urdal told the Oakland City Council recently how she sees patients struggling everyday to survive during these tough economic times. They're delaying healthcare, rationing medication or not buying medication at all. “I see them coming in worse and worse shape, “ the Alta Bates Medical Center nurse said. That’s why Urdal and her fellow nurses are calling for a Robin Hood Tax to help our communities recover from the economic crisis caused by Wall Street. —California Nurses Association, 05/22/13 More »
If there is one problem that symbolizes the ongoing national healthcare emergency, it is the rampant price gouging in the healthcare industry that continues to price too many Americans out of access to care and into financial ruin. Not only is the problem not solved by the Affordable Care Act, but it is a likely reason many will continue to demand more effective reform, as in expanding and extending Medicare to cover everyone. —by Deborah Burger. First appeared in The Huffington Post, 05/17/13 More »
