California Nurses Charge Sutter Violating Federal Law with Harassment of RNs

The California Nurses Association Wednesday charged Sutter Health hospitals in San Francisco and the Peninsula with violating federal law through policies of harassment and threats against registered nurses who work at those hospitals.

Official unfair labor practice charges have been filed by CNA/NNOC with the National Labor Relations Board.

Some 4,000 Sutter RNs are on strike through Sunday at ten Bay Area Sutter hospitals, including California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco and Mills-Peninsula Health Services, with hospitals in Burlingame and San Mateo, where the abuses have occurred.

At CPMC, in the days leading up to the ten-day walkout, hospital officials voiced threats of retaliation against RNs if they participated in the strike.

At Mills-Peninsula, hospital officials threatened to cut off healthcare coverage for nurses who participate in the walkout (letter available upon request).

The federal charge cites Sutter's failure to bargain "in good faith" for its attempts to impose a unilateral change in benefits through its threat to cut off health coverage.

"We've heard a lot of rhetoric from Sutter pretending that it respects its registered nurses. You don't show respect by engaging in threats and coercion against nurses for exercising their constitutional rights," said Bonnie Castillo, RN, director of CNA/NNOC's Sutter division.

Despite Sutter's heavy handed threats, Castillo said, most of the Sutter RNs, some 95%, did strike. "They are determined to get Sutter's attention to fix the serious problems in patient care that plague Sutter hospitals. Until Sutter shows a willingness to solve these concerns, this dispute will continue."

Other hospitals affected by the strike are Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, with facilities in Berkeley and Oakland, Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, San Leandro Hospital. Sutter Solano Medical Center in Vallejo, and Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch.