Nurses At Napa's Queen Of The Valley Hospital Authorize Potential Strike
NAPA (KPIX 5) – Nurses at Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa are ready to walk off the job if they can't reach a deal on a new contract.
With 98 percent, the nurses voted to authorize a strike, if necessary. If a walkout is called, the hospital would get 10 days notice.
Members of the California Nurses Association - National Nurses United said they need better wages and benefits to recruit and retain experienced nurses, and to ensure safe staffing levels.
St. Joseph Health System, which operates the Queen of the Valley, told KPIX 5 that it has reached tentative agreements with the union on some issues, over the past nine months of negotiating, and it is committed to providing nurses with competitive compensation.
The hospital system said in a statement, "we would be disappointed if the union calls a costly strike for our nurses. Should a strike take place, the hospital has a detailed operating plan to ensure we can continue to deliver the best care to our patients."
Negotiations resume next week.
