Sutter nurses back to work after lock-out

By Caitlin Cassady

December 13, 2007

Nurses around the Bay Area returned to work today at 13 Sutter Health hospitals after a 5 day lock out that resulted from the second strike in as many months, according to a California Nurses Association representative.

The strike began 7 a.m. Thursday and ended Saturday morning, according to spokeswoman Liz Jacobs. Some of the hospitals hired replacement workers on a 5-day agreement, who worked through Monday. Nurses at the Alta Bates Summit, Eden, Sutter San Leandro, Mill-Peninsula and Marin General hospitals returned to work today.

Sutter Health claims "impressive numbers" of nurses showed up for work Thursday morning despite the strike.

As many as 66 percent worked at Sutter's Santa Rosa facility and 62 percent at the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center's three campuses in Berkeley and Oakland, Sutter Health said in an e-mail. At other facilities, between 18 and 50 percent of nurses crossed the picket lines, according to Sutter Health.

A similar two-day strike was held in October.

Jacobs disputed Sutter Health's figures.

"For the most part, 95 percent honored the picket line in October. At least 95 percent of the nurses honored lines this time," she said.

The nurses are striking to protest what they consider serious patient care issues including safe staffing at all times even during rest and meal breaks, Sutter's attempt to close three community hospitals in the Bay Area that serve a patient population that is poorer and composed of more people of color than other Sutter hospitals, and medical benefits and pension improvements.

"I think Sutter believed that maybe the nurses would go out once but not twice," Jacobs said. "We proved them wrong."

Sutter Health officials say the nurses' union wants one master contract for all Sutter hospitals so it will be easier for nurses to join the union. The nurses union currently negotiates separately with the Sutter Health facilities. No contract talks are scheduled at this time.

"We are waiting for the dust to settle, and for Sutter to come to its senses," Jacobs said. "We hope to have talks going again soon."

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