Strike Will Protest Hospital Administration’s Unfair Labor Practices
For more information, or to arrange an interview with a hospital worker, contact Marc Baca at (323) 426-1462 or marc.baca@ueunion.org.
(Valenica, CA)— Employees of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia, members of UE Local 1004, will be holding a one-day unfair labor practice strike on Monday, March 20.
“We are striking to protest the hospital administration’s illegal attempts to intimidate us,” said Stacy Suarez, a surgical tech at the hospital. “We have a legal right to act together to let management know what we need in bargaining, and they are trying to silence our voices.”
The hospital administration has prohibited its employees from wearing union insignia or discussing negotiations, which is a violation of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act. It has threatened reprisals against employees for exercising their rights to concerted activity protected by the Act, and has interfered with the rights of members of the union bargaining committee to participate in negotiations. The administration has also failed to provide relevant and necessary information in a timely fashion that has been requested by the union for negotiations, as is required under the Act.
Local 1004 members are also frustrated with the hospital administration’s refusal to meaningfully address low wages in contract bargaining.
“We have been busting our butts for the community for the last ten years, but hospital administrators just continue to show us how much we are not valued,” said Emergency Department Monitor Tech Ashley Clemons. “We’re losing so many seasoned, good people because of the pay, and when that happens it’s the patients that we care for that suffer in the long run.”
UE Local 1004 is currently in negotiations with Henry Mayo for a new collective bargaining agreement covering 700 employees, including patient care attendants, techs, and other support staff. Local 1004 has represented Henry Mayo workers since 2004.
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