News on strike by patient care and service workers unions at UC, UCLA

11/20/13: UCLA Health System Union Strike Statement

Despite a strike by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the union representing patient care and service employees, both the Westwood and Santa Monica campuses of the UCLA Health System remained open on Wednesday, Nov. 20, providing the safest and highest quality care to our patients. With careful planning and the professionalism and dedication of many union employees who have decided to put patients first and come to work, the UCLA Health System is taking care of the health care needs of our community.

Anticipating that some AFSCME employees would not come to work, the UCLA Health System took numerous steps to protect patient safety. We postponed about 20 percent of the major elective surgeries scheduled for Nov. 20. Approximately 325 replacement workers and redeployed administration staff filled in for striking workers in positions ranging from housekeeping staff to respiratory therapists and nursing assistants. However, approximately 75 percent of AFSCME employees showed up for work. The estimated cost of the one-day strike to UCLA is more than $2.5 million, which reflects lost revenue and expenditures for replacement workers.

Patient care facilities affected by the strike included Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center; UCLA Health - Santa Monica Medical Center; UCLA's Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital; the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital; and the UCLA Health System's community and outpatient clinics.

"We sincerely regret any inconvenience this strike may have caused our patients and their families and friends," said Dr. Tom Rosenthal, chief medical officer for the UCLA Hospital System. "However, every effort continues to be made to ensure that the hospitals and clinics that are part of the UCLA Health System remain open and continue to deliver the highest level of patient care and safety through the duration of the strike."

The highest priority at UCLA Health System hospitals and clinics is to provide patients with safe, high-quality care.

AFSCME represents about 3,800 UCLA Health System employees.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), which represents 18,726 University of California employees, including 4000 at UCLA, has asked its members to strike at UC campuses on Wednesday, Nov. 20. The strike would include patient care workers at medical centers and student health centers, as well as dining, housing and facilities workers. UCLA teacher assistants represented by the United Auto Workers have announced a sympathy strike, and other employee unions may also hold sympathy strikes. UCLA managers have made plans to ensure that essential services continue.

 

Please refer to this page for updates regarding the strike at UCLA.

 

Despite a strike by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees the union representing patient care and service employees, both the Westwood and Santa Monica campuses of the UCLA Health System will remain open on Wednesday, Nov. 20, providing the safest and highest quality care to our patients.

 

A Sacramento County Superior Court judge issued an injunction today (Nov. 19) limiting the number of UC patient care employees that can strike on Wednesday (Nov. 20).

 

The California labor board has informed the University of California that it intends to seek a temporary restraining order to limit the number of union employees planning to hold a one-day strike Nov. 20 at UC's five medical centers.

 

University of California officials announced Nov. 16 they have reached a tentative agreement with the California Nurses Association regarding a four-year labor contract for the more than 11,700 nurses who work in UC medical and student health facilities.

 

The University of California announced Nov. 15 that UC's 350 librarians have ratified a five-year contract that includes a new salary structure, health benefits and other working conditions. The agreement is the culmination of 18 months of negotiations between UC and the American Federation of Teachers.