Over 100 healthcare professionals from hospitals and clinical labs in Santa Clara County have gone on strike.
Brandon Pho’s msn article on the subject states the strike will impact Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and O’Connor Hospital in San Jose, St. Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy and the county’s public health labs.
The County of Santa Clara published a statement on March 24 reassuring the public that they are “working to minimize disruptions to lab services during the strike.” The strike is currently “scheduled to end at 6 a.m. on Thursday, March 27.” During this time, noncritical appointments might be rescheduled and “walk-in lab services in outpatient clinics will be closed.”
The hospitals where picketing will take place, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and O’Connor Hospital, will be open.
According to the county, they have met with the Engineers and Scientists of California Local 20 IFPTE (ESC) 29 times for bargaining since July. “The key issues that remain unresolved between the parties involve compensation and contract language related to labor actions and management rights.” Additionally, msn says ESC told them “the county is insisting on adding language into its new contract that didn’t previously exist. Union leaders said the language would bar them from going on strike and require workers to rotate between hospitals based on staffing and resource needs.”
