Publication Date: Friday, December 02, 2005
Hospital workers to go on strike
Hospital workers to go on strike
(December 02, 2005) Hundreds of patients at Stanford and Lucile Packard Children's, but patient care will not be affected, spokesperson says
by Don Kazak
Some 1,300 workers at Stanford and Lucile Packard Children's hospitals are set to strike at 5 a.m. on Dec. 12, after negotiations over a new labor contract broke down more than a week ago.
The strike date was announced at a 2:15 p.m. outdoor press conference that was punctuated by thunder, lightning and a torrential cloudburst.
"We don't take what we're about to do lightly. We take it very seriously," said John Vellardita, chief spokesman for Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 715, which represents the workers.
Combined, the hospitals serve nearly 700 patients, and both are full or close to full, a Packard Hospital spokesperson said.
SEIU, Local 715, filed an unfair labor practice charge this week against the hospitals with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
"Their refusal to bargain is the nature of the NLRB complaint," Vellardita said. "They have rejected an offer to return to the (negotiating) table Dec. 2 and 3."
"The union is always free to file an unfair labor practice charge, but we are confident that when the NLRB reviews it they will find we have been bargaining in good faith," Sarah Staley, spokeswoman for Packard Hospital, said Thursday morning.
In a press release late Wednesday, the hospitals confirmed that they have declined to reopen negotiations.
"If the union has new proposals to make which are consistent with (our) last, best and final offer, our hospitals will receive and review them," the statement read.
Negotiations between the union and the hospitals broke off more than a week ago. The hospitals had offered 12 percent in pay raises over three years, while the union was asking for 29 percent in pay raises over three years.
The labor contract between SEIU and the hospitals expired Nov. 4 and was extended until Nov. 13.
The union represents food and service workers, 300 nursing assistants, operating room assistants, and others.
The hospitals declined to state what preparations have been made to deal with a strike.
"It's the responsibilities of the hospitals to always have contingency plans in place," Staley said. "Plans are in place and we are prepared for whatever will take place."
Staley declined to comment if the hospitals will try to reduce their number of patients or transfer patients to other hospitals. Packard has 237 inpatient beds and Stanford 431 inpatient beds, and both hospitals are full or close to full.
"It's a little too early to speculate about reducing patient census or bringing other workers in," Staley said. "Our highest priority is patient care and no patient or family should feel in any way concerned that their care would be in any way lessoned by SEIU actions."
Packard Hospital has 81 neonatal intensive care beds, 20 pediatric intensive care beds, 28 medical/surgical beds, 76 pediatric beds, and 32 perinatal/obstetric beds.
Stanford Hospital has 66 intensive care and coronary care beds, 318 medical/surgical beds, 30 psychiatric beds, and 17 rehabilitation beds. It also has 21 operating rooms.
Senior Staff Writer Don Kazak can be e-mailed at dkazak@paweekly.com.
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