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2,000 Nurses Go On Strike at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center
Photo by Amy the Nurse via Flickr
Nearly 2,000 nurses are striking today at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. They began their walkout at about 7:00 a.m. and won't be allowed back in the hospital until Tuesday. City News Service reports that the group of nurses, who are part of the California Nurses
Association/National Nurses United, haven't had a contract for months, in part because they say that their employer is trying to jack up the amount that they pay for health insurance when the rate that the hospital pays isn't going up at all. They're also concerned with patient-to-nurse rations, and patient lift policies that they're afraid put patients and nurses at risk for injury.
In response to the strike, the hospital hired temporary nurses. The strike was only supposed to be for 24 hours, but the temps were hired for five days, hence the refusal to allow the striking nurses back in until next Tuesday.
The nurses on strike won't get paid while they're not at work.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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