Fremont-Rideout One-Day RN Strike Friday

Punitive 10-day lockout of RNs by hospital to follow Nurses call on employer to end illegal activities

The 450 RNs from Fremont-Rideout Health Group in Yuba City and Marysville will embark on a one-day strike this Friday, the third since last August, the California Nurses Association announced today. The RNs voted overwhelmingly to authorize the strike in response to the employer's repeated illegal activities, concerns about adequate staffing and safe patient care.  The strike is scheduled to begin at 7:00 a.m. Friday morning and will end Saturday at 7:00 a.m.
 
Indicative of the hostile attitude toward their nurses, RNs will be locked out for an additional 10 days. FRHG  notified RNs that the replacement period ends March 31.  FRHG RNs struck previously in August and October of 2007 in response to a culture of unsafe practices and management’s unwillingness to bargain with CNA negotiators. In both instances, FRHG brought in replacement workers and locked RNs out of their workplace once the strike ended.

“FRHG has lost its mission and the almighty dollar is now more important than the patient,” said Shannon Glen, RN who works in the intensive care unit at Rideout Memorial Center. “That’s why we organized with CNA—to fight for the rights of patients and nurses until FRHG isn’t just the only game in town, but the best one. Though many good nurses have tired of the battle, the abuse, the retaliation and left, many of us continue to fight – for our family members and yours.”

Strike Schedule
Picket Lines:

Friday, March 21, 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Rideout Memorial Hospital 726 4th Street, Marysville
Fremont Medical Center 970 Plumas Street, Yuba City

12:00 Noon Rally  

Fremont Medical Center

Numerous violations of fair labor practices
FRHG is being prosecuted by the NLRB for numerous unfair and illegal labor practices, including:

• Disciplining CNA RN supporters 
• Interrogating and threatening nurses with loss of work
• Failing and refusing to bargain in good faith with CNA.
• Changing attendance and sick leave policies without notifying CNA in advance and negotiating over proposed changes
• Enforcing work rules in a discriminatory manner
• Denying CNA RN supporters the opportunity to work their scheduled shifts

In addition to being found responsible for the offenses listed above, FRHG is being investigated by the NLRB on fresh charges of unlawful changes, discriminatory enforcement of work rules, refusing to bargain in good faith, and disciplining RN leaders.