Frontline caregivers plan to strike again near the holidays if no action is taken following their strike in October
Frontline caregivers plan to strike again near the holidays if no action is taken following their strike in October
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 29, 2023
Media Contact: [email protected]
Ontario, Calif. – Prime Healthcare workers are taking their message directly to headquarters about severe understaffing and will hold a protest on Thursday, November 30, 2023, in Ontario, California. After struggling with chronic understaffing and the challenges of the COVID pandemic, healthcare workers are urging management to provide safe staffing levels and offer additional support to attract and retain caregivers at hospitals.
In October, approximately 1,800 Prime Healthcare employees represented by SEIU United Healthcare Workers West went on a week-long strike as management refused to negotiate to fix unsafe working and patient care conditions caused by the short-staffing crisis. 500 registered nurses from St. Francis Medical Center also participated in the strike.
Prime executives and caregivers are still negotiating, but a second strike is planned during the holidays if no progress is made.
“We have been stretched thin for far too long. Our patients are not receiving the quality care they deserve, and we are constantly overwhelmed by the workload,” said Bernie Espinoza, an Ultrasound Technologist at Garden Grove Hospital and Medical Center. “We hope that management realizes the urgency of addressing this issue and start bargaining in good faith.”
In 2021, Prime Healthcare Services and the Prime Healthcare Foundation made over $263 million in profits from their California facilities. Prime operates healthcare facilities across 14 states nationwide.
Frontline healthcare workers, including licensed vocational nurses, certified nursing assistants, medical assistants, emergency room techs, radiology techs, respiratory techs, and many other fields, will be participating in the protest.
WHAT: Frontline healthcare workers will hold signs in protest of Prime Health’s understaffing, and worker safety issues.
WHEN: Thursday, November 30, 2023, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
WHERE: Prime Healthcare (Headquarters)
3480 E Guasti Rd,
Ontario, CA 91761
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SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) is a healthcare justice union of more than 100,000 healthcare workers, patients, and healthcare activists united to ensure affordable, accessible, high-quality care for all Californians, provided by valued and respected healthcare workers. Learn more at www.seiu-uhw.org.