SAN DIEGO (KGTV)— Frontline healthcare workers with SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) voted on Friday to authorize a five-day strike to protest at Sharp Healthcare.
According to a press release sent by the union, the strike was approved by a 92% yes vote from around 5,000 healthcare workers with Sharp Grossmont Hospital, Sharp HospiceCare, Chula Vista Medical Center, Memorial Hospital, Mesa Vista Hospital and Mary Birth Hospital for Women and Newborns.
Opening negotiations between the union and Sharp Healthcare started in late 2023 and, after more than 33 negotiating sessions, have yet to reach its first contract agreement.
Healthcare workers, according to the release, said the executives at Sharp do not recognize issues, including low staffing within the facilities and low pay.
"Short staffing and low pay put patients and workers at risk as workers struggle to meet patients’ needs, and many frontline caregivers at Sharp facilities are forced to commute hours to work due to the lack of affordable housing," SEIU-UHW said in the release.
The strike vote applies to the following job classes:
Certified nursing assistants, licensed vocational nurses, respiratory care practitioners, pharmacy technicians, patient transporters, radiologic technologists, surgical technologists, lab technicians, nursing unit clerks
The union says there are numerous other healthcare workers to whom Friday's vote would apply.
Sharp Healthcare provided the following statement to ABC 10News:
"It’s critical for San Diegans to know that staffing levels at Sharp hospitals are among the highest in the state. There is no patient care crisis at Sharp. SEIU-UHW is making these and other false claims in an attempt to put pressure on Sharp at the bargaining table to meet their unrealistic wage demands that are simply not economically feasible for a not-for-profit hospital system. Sharp has offered the union an enviable 21% wage increase, on average, over a three-year contract. We have also offered a zero-premium health plan for union members and their families, while also agreeing to work over the next year to enhance our retirement program.
"Sharp has also offered additional dates for negotiation sessions to arrive at a final agreement, but the union has rejected those in favor of these kinds of delay tactics. Since June 2023, we have been bargaining in good faith with the union for contracts with the Sharp Grossmont Hospital and Sharp HospiceCare bargaining units, and a strike is not in the best interest of our team members, our patients and our communities. Sharp stands ready with resources and personnel to meet the health care needs of our patients in the event of a strike. We are also ready and willing to finalize an agreement that respects and values our employees and enables Sharp to maintain its mission to meet the full health care needs of San Diegans."
