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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Several dozen local nurses holding picket signs lined Hill Road East across from Sutter Lakeside Hospital on Thursday, taking part in a one-day strike to oppose what they say are unfair takeaways the hospital is proposing in contract negotiations with nursing staff.
The action at Sutter Lakeside was in concert with a one-day strike called at 33 other hospitals around Northern and Central California – mostly Sutter and Kaiser Permanente facilities – involving an estimated 23,000 nurses represented by the California Nurses Association.
At Sutter Lakeside, an estimated 125 nurses are part of the union. It was not clear on Thursday how many nurses were taking part in the strike, although numbers ranged between 50 and 75.
Sutter Lakeside spokesperson Angie Lagle said that 94 percent of the day shift nurses, or two-thirds of the total nursing staff, crossed the picket lines.
“There have been no issues today regarding the strike. Those that have showed up to picket have been very peaceful and respectful, which we are grateful for,” Lagle said.
As they walked along the road shoulder in the hot sun Thursday, the nurses carried signs that read “Some cuts don't heal,” “Not cuts in patient services” and “Community care not corporate profits.”
The majority of the feedback the striking nurses received from people coming and going from the hospital included friendly waves and the honking of car horns.
Jody Dawson, a 19-year veteran of the hospital who works in Sutter Lakeside's birthing center, said the largely supportive response was because nurses are there for patients at birth, death and whenever they're needed in between.
However, the reception they had wasn't completely positive. At one point, a man in a large silver SUV paused to yell that they were greedy.
“We're not going in asking for more money,” said Dawson. “It's all about the takeaways with them.”
The proposed takeaways include cuts in health care to part-time nursing staff and cuts in benefits, according to the union.
Nurses on strike Thursday also emphasized that they make well below the $136,000 “average” salary that the hospital said nurses made in the Sutter system.
Steve Kostove, a 19-year Sutter Lakeside nurse who said he recently was fired in retaliation for his union activities, took part in the strike, which he said began early in the morning on Thursday and ended at 8 p.m.
Nurses taking part in the strike noted low morale and more tension in their work atmosphere, which they're blaming on the hospital's administration, including hospital Chief Administrative Officer Siri Nelson and Human Resources Director Richard Abbate.
There have been recent firings, with nurses also placed on administrative leave while complaints against them are investigated, according to Kostove and other nurses on the picket line.
Lagle said that, because of employee privacy laws, the hospital cannot comment on those allegations.
Dawson said nurses were repeatedly questioned on Wednesday about whether or not they were going to strike.
“My experience in the hospital yesterday was atrocious,” is how Dawson described the day before the strike.
Lagle said that, in preparing for the strike, the department directors were asked to find out how many replacement nurses they might need in order to continue to provide proper care for patients.
“We apologize if some nurses found this intimidating, but we needed to find out this information for the safety and care of our patients,” said Lagle.
She added, “Sutter Lakeside administration in no way intended to make any nurse feel intimidated or retaliated against. We feel that it is the right of every nurse to strike if they would like to and we have no reprimand for those who decide to do so. Our goal with the questioning was to ensure the proper care of our patients.”
Dawson said her boss personally warned her that she was worried for Dawson's job if she participated in the one-day strike.
Lagle said employees are aware of the policies and procedures that are outlined in the nursing contract with regards to union activities, and they are aware if they have acted in a way that would cause them to be in violation of those policies and procedures.
“I am not aware of a particular case where someone was directly warned about losing their job, so I have no specific comment,” Lagle said.
The hospital had said earlier this week that it was hiring contract nurses, and that nurses who took part in the strike would not be able to return to work for an additional seven days.
It wasn't clear on Thursday if that was going to hold, as nurses were receiving word that they would be able to return to work on their next scheduled shift, unless they worked in the emergency room or intensive care unit.
Union members also said they understood that the hospital had been able to cover the striking nurses with current staff, not contract nurses.
Kostove said the union was telling nurses to show up for their scheduled shifts, prepared to work.
Kristin Snyder, who has worked at the hospital for 30 years, splits her time between the birthing center and the intensive care unit. She wasn't sure if she was going to be allowed to return to work on Sunday or not.
“I think they're really out to destroy the union,” said Snyder.
She said the union offers nurses “a measure of safety” in their jobs, adding that without CNA the nurses are essentially powerless.
Kostove said the next negotiation sessions on the new nurses' contract is set to take place next week, but he said if the nurses are locked out they won't appear at the negotiating table.
At the hospital's request, a small police presence was at the scene of the Thursday strike.
The Lakeport Police Department reported that Sutter Lakeside had contacted the agency on Tuesday seeking assistance due to security concerns over the strike, which Lagle confirmed.
“Some strikes in the past have resulted in employees fearing for their safety arriving to and leaving the hospital building and we did not want that to occur this time,” Lagle said. “We did not expect to have major issues during this strike yet we wanted to show the non-striking employees that administration hears their concerns and cares for their safety. Our desire is to always provide a safe working environment for our employees, no matter the circumstances.”
Sgt. Kevin Odom reported that the hospital asked to contract for two officers to be at the main entrance from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the hospital agreeing to pay for all overtime costs. Odom said the department agreed to a contract with the hospital after consulting with the Lake County Sheriff's Office about the event.
Odom reported that the officers' job was to maintain everyones' safety and remain impartial.
At the scene on Thursday were Sgt. Dale Stoebe and Officer Destry Henderson, who said there were no incidents during the day.
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