Intimidation at hospital

By Christine Picard
San Mateo Daily Journal
March 3, 2008

Editor,

The public needs to know about the intimidation and harassment toward the nurses at Mills Peninsula hospital. This is occurring because we are advocating with 5,000 other Sutter nurses to prevent closures of our local hospitals such as St. Luke’s and for improved working conditions that benefit our patients.

We need a dedicated lift team and adequate staffing for breaks and lunches. Nurse staffing must include acuity, not just a staffing matrix. We need resource nurses and a nurse mentorship program for our new nurses.

Corporations like Sutter are chipping away at America’s benefits. Our pension plan is currently over funded, yet management will not enhance this item in our contract. Is it right that our administration benefits from million dollar salaries, but tells us there is no money for the best contract that should be provided, while asking us and you (the public) to donate money for a new hospital?

Nurses have recently been targeted simply for reaching out to co-workers and expressing opinions.

Someone is removing and throwing out the California Nurses Association fliers. An escort accompanies our labor representative; otherwise he cannot meet with us. A security guard has recently been stationed at the Family Birth Center elevator, to monitor our activities. Did they forget we are already on video surveillance in the Family Birth Center?

This conduct is severe enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive. Administration is violating free speech and organizing rights that are basic to us as Americans.

Christine Picard

Half Moon Bay

The letter writer is a registered nurse at the Family Birth Center