As Successful Sutter Strike Concludes, Sutter Nurses Call on Chain to Fix Patient Care Problems

A strike by 4,000 registered nurses at ten Bay Area Sutter facilities concluded this morning with nurses walking together back into work, resolved to force Sutter to deal with the very serious patient care problems endemic to the chain. 

The strike was marked by an average of 95 percent participation across units, deep community and public support, and a campaign of intimidation against RNs coordinated by the highest levels of Sutter management. 

Sutter RNs are calling on the hospital chain to return to negotiations and begin to work with the RNs -- instead of attacking them -- to resolve the serious patient care problems that are at the center of the months long dispute.

"Conducting this ten-day strike shows the incredible determination of nurses to stand up to corporate management on these issues," said Bonnie Castillo, RN, Sutter division director for the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee. 

"Sutter officials tried to ignore the RNs' laser like focus on patient safety and  our main issue, which is guaranteeing that our patients will be covered during legally-guaranteed meal and rest breaks.  But the unity of Sutter RNs the past days sent an un-mistakable message to Sutter that the RNs will not stop fighting until their patient safety concerns are satisfied," Castillo said. 

Through the strike, Sutter RNs also repudiated a series of retaliatory measures against nurses, including threats of loss of employment and health benefits, that led the CNA/NNOC  Thursday to file unfair labor practices with the National Labor Relations Board.  The result of such harassment has been to unify the RNs.

"I'm inspired by the courage and resolve of Sutter RNs as we once again stood up for ourselves and our patients despite an atmosphere of threats and intimidation," said Alta Bates Summit RN Jan Rodolfo, who is also the national CNA/NNOC Secretary

The strike that concluded today was the third walkout by Sutter RNs following earlier strikes last fall. The key reason for the walkouts is the pattern of patient safety risks caused by Sutter’s refusal to schedule RNs to care for patients when nurses are on legally-mandated meal or rest breaks.  Such scheduling gaps leave patients unattended and at risk for life threatening events.   RNs are also protesting a pattern of unfair labor practices at a number of Sutter facilities. 

Nurses are also concerned over Sutter's practice of medical redlining by closing hospitals in medically underserved areas (St. Luke's Hospital in San Francisco and  San Leandro Hospital) and their refusal to agree to fair settlements on issues of healthcare, pensions and retiree  health.