Alta Bates-Summit Nurses' Strike Continues Today

Bay City News Service—Roughly 5,000 registered nurses from 10 Sutter and Hospital Corporation of America hospitals throughout the Bay Area went on strike Tuesday, charging that the hospitals are making cuts in nurses' benefits and patient care standards.

Some 3,300 nurses and several hundred technicians at eight Sutter hospitals will continue to picket today in protest of the corporation, according to the California Nurses Association.

Rallies were scheduled throughout the day Tuesday at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center facilities in Berkeley and Oakland, Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, San Leandro Hospital, Sutter Delta in Antioch and Sutter Solano in Vallejo.

The strike is the seventh in a series of strikes by members of the state's nurses association over contracts that have been in negotiations for about 19 months. The last strike was on Oct. 31.

The nurses association says the reason for the strike is concessions demanded by Sutter management such as eliminating sick days and requiring nurses to pay for their own health care.

Sutter spokesman Bill Gleeson said the company offers competitive salary and health care options to its CNA employees and an increase would hurt the corporation.

"A nurse who chooses to work full-time at a Sutter-affiliated hospital with an open CNA contract earns on average of $136,000 per year," Gleeson said. In addition, Gleeson said, "Most registered nurses also have an option for 100 percent employer-paid health benefits."

The nurses association is also hoping for significant pay raises that will increase costs by millions, according to Gleeson.

"Union leaders are demanding double-digit wage increases and free health care for life — which would increase costs at our hospitals by tens of millions of dollars each year," he said.

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