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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Informational Picket Heats Up Nurse Negotiations

For months now, Northridge Hospital Medical Center nurses and parent company Catholic Healthcare West have been embroiled in contract negotiations. Understaffing and wages are among the nurses’ chief concerns, but they say that CHW has rejected contract proposals to address these issues. Tensions came to a head July 2, when an estimated 250 nurses held an informational picket to raise awareness about their concerns, primarily staffing shortages at medical facilities serving the San Fernando Valley and Ventura County. According to Sue Weinstein, head of the nurses’ negotiating team, patient ratios have been violated, “and bad things happen because of it.” The nurses belong to Local 121RN of the Service Employees International Union, which represents more than 1,500 nurses at Northridge Hospital, St. John’s Pleasant Valley in Camarillo and St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard. As a collective, “We made several proposals to ensure RNs would be available all the time, including during hard-to-staff shifts, but management rejected them all outright,” Weinstein said. Christina Zicklin, director of Marketing and Public Relations for Northridge Hospital, disputed the nurses’ claims. “Like all hospitals in California who deal with the natural shortage of nurses, we are always actively recruiting, particularly in areas that are more difficult to fill because of the increased certification needed,” Zicklin stated. “However, with that said, we are proud of the fact that Northridge Hospital Medical Center has a vacancy rate of less than 6 percent.” Weinstein said the hospital’s vacancy rate fluctuates, as evidenced by the hospital’s continual search for nurses. She believes there is a direct correlation between the nurse vacancy rate and the care that nurses can offer. “The patient care issues are absolutely of the utmost importance to be able to provide safe nursing care,” Weinstein said. In addition to wanting CHW to address matters such as lifting patients, the nurses desire more pay. Weinstein didn’t specify how much more, however. She said, “The nurses are committed to getting a contract that protects patient care with salaries that recruit good nurses and retain good nurses. That is our mission, and we believe that our proposals are reasonable.” Aging of industry Weinstein also raised concerns about the phasing out of baby boomers from the nursing profession. “The average age of the bedside nurse has gotten up to around 49 or 50 …” she said. “This is a group that’s quickly approaching retirement.” Moreover, because nurses realize they are in demand, they have the opportunity to move to hospitals with the most competitive compensation, “We are trying to get CHW in Southern California more in line with the other corporations, such as Providence,” Weinstein said. “These are the hospitals that Northridge competes with.” Zicklin said that Northridge Hospital supports the nurses’ decision to conduct an informational picket and looks forward to reaching a fair and positive settlement with them. Weinstein said that she feels likewise but believes the issues the nurses want CHW to address extend beyond the matters at hand. “We’re trying to continue to affect nursing issues that will affect all the nurses to come,” she said. “We’re trying to correct what we believe needs to be corrected. We believe it’s imperative that we make progress and get that settled and get back to providing everyday patient care.”

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