WATSONVILLE - Watsonville Community Hospital has attained
contingent deals for three-year contracts with technicians and
maintenance staff, as announced by management Monday.
The bargaining with Service Employees International Union
Healthcare Workers-West must be approved by the employees in the two
negotiating units.
Hospital didn't share any details, and union officials are not
available for comment.
Cindy Weigelt, the hospital's spokeswoman, made it clear that the
policy of the hospital is not to divulge any details prior to
approval. More petulant labor negotiations between the hospital and
California Spokeswoman
More disorderly labor negotiations between the hospital and the
California Nurses Association remain undetermined.
A nurse and member of the CNA negotiating team, named Tim Thomas,
relayed the more current talks with the management were held in
mid-December and, though nurses have called for meetings, no new
discussions have been arranged.
In December 23, during their lunch breaks, nurses picketed the
hospital to show their disapproval on the delayed negotiations.
Nurses walked out for a day and were locked out for two more days.
According to nurses, staffing levels are at the middle of the
disagreement.
Thomas on the other hand said, in the past couple of weeks, the
hospital has beefed up staff and rearranged schedules to guarantee
nurses have substitute to take breaks.
"Changes to the staffing matrix have done most of the stuff
we asked for," Thomas said, making further comment that
management requires to put the changes in writing.
Weigelt has asserted staffing is appointed and scheduled based on
the number of patients and the degree of their conditions. In and
e-mail, she said a 2009 state report revealed Watsonville's staffing
was about 9 percent higher than the average for same-sized facilities
and that the hospital has bolstered hours of nurse's aides.
Weigelt wrote, "As always, creating a safe and productive
work environment for employees is a high priority."
According to the union, the negotiating unit involves nearly 275
nurses. They have been bargaining a new contract since February and
been without a contract since October.
SEIU embodies medical technicians in the radiology, clinical
aides, pharmacy technicians, surgical and emergency departments, the
dietary department, clinical lab scientists and support staff in
environmental services, and engineering.
The hospital settled with two other unions in October, inking a
three-year deal with the clerical workers represented by the
Teamsters and a two-year contract with radiology and respiratory
therapists represented by California Employees Technical Coalition.
The largest publicly traded hospital company in the country,
Watsonville is part of Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems
Inc. It owns, operates, or leases 126 hospitals in 29 states.
Watsonville is a 106-bed hospital, with about 700 employees and
more than 120 physicians on its medical staff.