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Striking Nurses Back On Job At Children's Hospital Oakland

OAKLAND (CBS/AP) - Children's Hospital Oakland registered nurses have agreed to return to work after a five-day strike over proposed changes to their health benefits.

Nurses were expected to be back on the job at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

KCBS' Bob Melrose Reports:

According to published reports, hospital management and representatives of the California Nurses Association-National Nurses United agreed that the walkout went smoothly.

The hospital operated at near normal capacity during the walkout, relying on non-union Children's Hospital nurses and about 125 replacement nurses.

The 700 union nurses have been negotiating for more than a year for a new contract. The current one expired in July.

Union nurses protested again proposed health benefits cuts that would require them to contribute more to their benefits or pay a higher deductible.

The hospital contends it lost $17.9 million in 2009.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services may have contributed to this report.)

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