California hospital workers launch two-day strike

Hospital nurses, therapists, technicians and housekeepers went on strike over protecting patient care Wednesday in the San Francisco Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO (CNN) -- Thousands of hospital workers launched a two-day strike Wednesday against eight Bay Area hospitals, angry over staffing levels they say are too low to serve patients adequately.

The strike, the second such job action in two months, was forcing hospitals to cut back on patient admissions and curtail some surgical procedures.

The Service Employees International Union called the strike of 3,500 culinary workers, nurse's assistants and respiratory assistants. The workers say hospitals are not providing enough staff to handle the heavy workloads, which in turn is negatively affecting the quality of patient care.

"The patients are affected daily," said dietary worker Deborah Covington at the picket line Wednesday. "When we're short-staffed, when we don't have enough employees to deliver trays or deliver linen, or a nurse to come by your bedside, or when you're sitting in emergency waiting for hours and hours and hours to be seen, the patients are affected."

Several dozen hospital workers marched outside Summit Medical Center in Oakland Wednesday, chanting and carrying signs reading "Patients Before Profit" and "Safe Staffing Now."

The hospital said it had not transferred any patients because of the strike.

"The most profound effect, I think, for patients and their family members," said hospital spokeswoman Trisha Barret, "is to have to go through an angry group of picketers yelling and screaming at them."

The area hospitals have offered their workers a 12 percent pay raise over four years. But employees say the amount is not enough, especially given the Bay Area's high cost of living.

The Sutter Health corporation, one of the two hospital companies being targeted by the union, called the strike "a malicious public relations campaign" designed to increase union membership.

"Despite the negative campaigning and disruptions, our employees have maintained their focus on delivering great care and service to our patients," said a statement from Sutter spokesman Ken Buback.

About 4,000 workers walked off the job July 6, staging a one-day strike against 10 area hospitals. The union informed hospitals in advance, allowing administrators to cancel or defer elective surgeries, refer patients to other hospitals, and release some patients early.

One hospital was forced to move 30 premature babies to another facility nearly an hour away.

Workers at the eight hospitals had warned management they would strike again Wednesday if no agreement was reached by August 1 to give employees input in staffing levels.

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