Publication Date: Friday, November 25, 2005
News Digest
News Digest
(November 25, 2005)
Hospital workers vote for possible strike
Workers at Stanford and Lucile Packard Children's hospitals voted overwhelmingly Tuesday night to authorize a possible strike. A second vote confirming the strike will be held Monday.
Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 715, represents 1,300 food and service workers, including 300 nursing assistants. The union's contract with the two hospitals expired Nov. 13.
The two sides are far apart on salary and other issues. The hospitals made their "last, best and final offer" to the unions Tuesday before SEIU members voted to authorize a possible strike. The hospitals are offering 12 percent in pay increases over three years while the union is asking for 29 percent over the same period.
The two sides seem to be hardening into a war of words.
"We extended an offer to Stanford to resume negotiations," John Vellardita, chief SEIU spokesperson, said Wednesday morning. If the hospitals don't increase their offer, "the members have said they are willing to go on strike." He said that 90 percent of those who voted authorized a possible strike and rejected the last offer from the hospitals.
"The hospital sees no purpose to resuming negotiations if the union continues to make unrealistic offers," said Andrea Smith, media relations manager at Stanford Hospital.
The two hospitals have a total of 668 inpatient beds, 431 at Stanford and 237 at Packard and both are currently full or close to full.
"Union leadership seems more concerned with enhancing their organizing abilities than in considering our proposals and we don't believe they've adequately communicated our offer to their membership," Christopher Dawes, president and CEO of Packard Hospital, said.
Robert Valenzuela, one of the SEIU negotiators, said Tuesday night that the union believes the hospitals are trying to eliminate union jobs by moving to contract workers for some jobs.
"They haven't addressed job security," Valenzuela, a lead transportation coordinator at Stanford Hospital said. He added there have been eight negotiating sessions so far.
--Don Kazak
Candlelight vigil held for quake victims
About 25 people held a candlelight vigil Tuesday night at Palo Alto's Civic Center Plaza to bring awareness to the plight of victims of the South Asia earthquake, many of whom are living in tents. In addition, five people stayed overnight in the plaza, sleeping in tents.
"I really wanted to walk in their shoes," Samina Faheem Sundas said. Sundas, the executive director of American Muslim Voice, said she also fasted for 12 hours before staying in a tent Tuesday night.
The death toll from the Oct. 8 quake, centered in the mountainous region of Pakistan, is officially 87,000 but expected to go much higher.
Sundas said that those wishing to donate to relief efforts can get information on how to do so at the Web site www.amuslimvoice.org.
--Don Kazak
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