Sutter Health Workers Hit The Picket Lines Over Staffing Levels, Concerns Over Health Protections
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- Thousands of Sutter Health workers are going on strike as of Monday.
Organizers of the strike say it's over the health network's alleged refusal to address concerns about safe staffing, as well as health and safety protections.
More than 8,000 registered nurses and health care workers at 15 facilities across Northern California are expected to participate.
"We're at a point where we just don't think Sutter is hearing us," said Renee Waters, a Trauma Neuro Intensive Care RN. "We want to build in a lot of health and safety issues in this contract."
Sutter Health addressed the strike in a statement on Monday morning.
""By moving forward with today's costly and disruptive strike, union leadership has made it clear they are willing to put politics above patients and the nurses they represent – despite the intervention of federal mediators and our willingness to bargain in good faith while under threat of a strike," a Sutter Health spokesperson said.
Workers at Sutter Health facilities in Tracy, Sacramento, Roseville and Auburn are expected to be on the picket lines.
The protest is scheduled to go until 11 a.m., then again from 2 to 6 p.m.