SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Sharp HealthCare workers and their union Thursday announced a call for an unfair labor practices authorization vote next week, which if approved, could see thousands of workers striking.
Sharp represents to largest private employer in the county, with more than 5,000 workers represented by SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West. The union will take a membership vote on whether or not to strike between Oct. 29 and Nov. 1 at Grossmont Hospital, Sharp HospiceCare, Chula Vista Medical Center, Memorial Hospital, Mesa Vista Hospital, and Mary Birch Hospital for Women and Newborns.
"Sharp executives refuse to acknowledge how much patient care has deteriorated or how much the frontline healthcare workforce and patients are suffering because of the Sharp short-staffing crisis," said Dave Regan, president of SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West. "The San Diego patient care crisis cannot be solved unless Sharp executives follow the law by bargaining with healthcare workers in good faith and take dramatic action now to solve the crisis by investing in its workforce."
Workers say they want Sharp to invest more in patient care, staffing and better working conditions instead of executive pay.
According to the union, the company needs to "immediately and substantively address the growing care crisis across its facilities instead of continuing to intimidate and retaliate against frontline healthcare workers."
Sharp released the following statement on Thursday:
Sharp HealthCare believes the union is making these blatantly false claims in an attempt to pressure us at the bargaining table. Since June 2023, Sharp has bargained in good faith with SEIU-UHW, but the union has chosen to delay coming to a final agreement through diversion tactics like today’s press conference, earlier picketing/protest events and a social media blitz, all aimed to disparage Sharp instead of focusing on productive negotiations.
San Diegans should know that our hospital staffing levels are safe and actually among the highest in the state as our overall vacancy rate (percentage of unfilled positions) is approximately 5.4%, which is lower than the national industry average of more than 8%.
Also, it is revealing that among the 19 allegations the union has filed against Sharp, 14 have either been dismissed by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) or the union has been forced to withdraw due to lack of evidence. Sharp is responding to the remaining 5 allegations and looks forward to their possible dismissal/withdrawal.
Importantly, Sharp has proposed a generous wage package that provides, on average, a 21% wage increase over three years and health insurance for employees and their families with no monthly premium, among other benefits. For those employees who earn minimum wage, our proposal raises their hourly rate to $24/hour now, almost one year ahead of SB 525 requirements (which provides for a minimum wage increase for health care workers in California). Sharp also agreed to meet with the union throughout 2025 to discuss potential improvements to current retirement plans.
Sharp’s proposal recognizes and respects our valuable workers and removes any barriers for coming to a speedy conclusion of negotiations. To demonstrate our commitment to compromise, we even withdrew our long-standing opposition to a “closed shop,” which would require new employees to become part of the union. We urge the union to do the right thing for our employees and work with Sharp to come to a final agreement.
However, workers with the union claim the company is committing labor violations such as retaliating against whistle-blowers.
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