Nurses at Rady Children’s Hospital commenced a walkout on Monday morning after rejecting the hospital’s latest contract proposal.
The walkout followed a new offer from the hospital on Saturday, which included a raise, but nurses deemed it insufficient to cover San Diego’s high living costs.
The union’s statement asserted, “While our bargaining team reached a deal, the final decision rests with our membership, and they have concluded that the offer falls woefully short of their requirements. This proposal fails to address adequately the exorbitant cost of living in San Diego, the most expensive city in the nation, and does not meet the standards necessary to attract and retain the skilled nurses our hospital requires.”
The statement further highlighted that the hospital’s refusal to meet reasonable demands compelled them to take this stance.
“Despite our efforts to collaborate with the hospital to ensure the presence of essential and specialized nurses, the hospital has chosen to bring in replacement nurses from other states. This decision, a blatant display of disrespect toward our dedicated nurses and the patients they serve, only fortifies our resolve. We are unwavering in our mission to secure fair wages, benefits, and the respect our nurses rightfully deserve. We do not wish to strike, but we have no alternative,” the statement emphasized.
The strike is scheduled to take place from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday at Rady Children’s Hospital, 3020 Children’s Way, according to a statement from Katie Langenstrass, executive director of United Nurses of Children’s Hospital Teamsters Local 1699.
“We are urging Rady’s to support us in caring for our families as we care for the families of this community,” Langenstrass stated. “To date, they have not stepped up to meet this need.”
Rady Children’s Hospital’s management contends that the latest contract offer includes a 25% raise over three years.
“We have examined compensation grids from Southern California, particularly in San Diego, and this increase would immediately place our nurses’ average compensation in the top tier in the first year,” Dr. Patrick Frias, president and CEO of Rady Children’s Hospital, said.
The hospital reports that it has brought in 400 nurses to fill in while its 1,600 union nurses picket. Management claims that the quality of care has remained seamless, though the noise from honking and cheering has been problematic.
“The intensive care doctors and nurses cannot hear the children’s breathing or heartbeats, which is critically affecting these patients,” Dr. Charlie Davis, COO at Rady Children’s Hospital, stated. “Some patients are very sensitive to sound, which can alter their blood pressure. This noise is severely impacting these patients.”
The strike is set to continue on Tuesday. Nurses picketed at three locations on Monday, but due to the heat, Tuesday’s picket line at the Rancho Springs facility in Murrieta has been called off.
“I have full confidence that we can provide all necessary care for these children over the next 48 hours. We look forward to welcoming our nurses back on Wednesday morning when the strike concludes and are always open to resuming negotiations to resolve this issue,” Dr. Patrick Frias told NBC 7.
The nurses’ three-year contract expired on June 30, with negotiations beginning in May.
