Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
San Gabriel Nurses Protest Over Wages And Staffing Shortages
Healthcare workers at a mobile COVID-19 ICU clinic.
(
Chava Sanchez
/
LAist
)
Registered nurses and healthcare workers protested working conditions at two San Gabriel Valley hospitals this morning. They chose this day, Día De Los Muertos, to picket at the San Gabriel Valley Medical Center and Whittier Hospital Medical Center, to remember those who have died from COVID-19.
At San Gabriel Valley Medical Center, respiratory therapist Julia Holguin said workers want a wage increase to cover the rising costs of health insurance premiums and prescription medications.
"If we have been loyal to our hospital, with great patient care and working all the extra hours that they ask us, we just want them to be fair," she said. "Listen to us and be honest.”
The California Nurses Association and the Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union organized today’s informational pickets, saying that the hospitals have proposed increasing their employees out-of-pocket medical expenses by at least half.
Support for LAist comes from
“Management cares more about profits than their patients and staff,” said Jaime Johnsrud, a registered nurse at Whittier Hospital Medical Center. “We went from heroes to zeroes.”
The unions say that chronic short-staffing is a critical concern for registered nurses at San Gabriel Valley Medical Center and Whittier Hospital, who they say are violating state laws mandating nurse-to-patient staffing ratios.
The unions representing 1,200 healthcare workers at the San Gabriel hospitals are currently negotiating a new labor contract to replace the one that expired in June. They are asking for wages to compensate for increased risk of working in the pandemic, a commitment to address staffing shortages, and more stringent COVID protocols.
Nurses across Southern California with similar concerns have recently protested. Earlier this month, a group of 21,000 nurses from Kaiser Permanente agreed to strike if a new contract cannot be agreed upon. Their most recent contract expired on September 30.
In July, 1,400 nurses from the Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Cancer Hospital, who have been negotiating their contract since November 2020, held a two-day strike over concerns of what they felt were unsafe working conditions.
LAist/KPCC has reached out to San Gabriel Valley Medical Center and Whittier Hospital Medical Center for comment.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The new ordinance applies to certain grocers operating in the city and has led to some self-checkout lanes to shutter. -
Children asked to waive right to see a judge in exchange for $2,500 -
There’s still a lot to be determined as the refinery, which supplies about one-fifth of Southern California's vehicle fuels, works to restore production and as data is collected. -
The FCC voted to end E-Rate discounts for library hotspot lending and school bus Wi-Fi. -
About half the Pacific Airshow’s 2025 lineup has been grounded because of the federal government shutdown. -
USC says it’s reviewing the letter also sent to eight other prestigious schools nationwide. California's governor vowed that any California universities that sign will lose state funding.
Best of LAist