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Long Beach Nurses Prepare To Strike

Mike Vulpo |
October 29, 2011 | 9:31 a.m. PDT

Executive Producer

Long Beach Memorial Medical Center (Latimes.com)
Long Beach Memorial Medical Center (Latimes.com)

The union representing approximately 1,900 registered nurses at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center may ask their workers to strike as early as next week after failing to reach a fair contract with the hospital.

The union’s threat comes only a few days after bargaining members met with hospital officials to settle a month-long contract dispute according to the Los Angeles Times.

Union officials said they would delay a strike if significant progress is made in negotiations early next week. 

The Los Angeles Times reports:

“The union is requesting lunch breaks for nurses, no ‘call-offs’ (equivalent to furloughs)  and that nurses who are floated from one unit to another have experience to treat patients, as well as wage increases and a cap on health benefits.”

One nurse spoke to the Long Beach Press-Telegram earlier this week in regards to the pending strike.  

"We don't want to strike, but the hospital insists on disrespecting their patient care issues and everything that's still on the table," Mary Bailey, a registered nurse at the hospital for 24 years said. "The nurses will do what we need to do. We're very optimistic that we will get a contract and that it's a contract nurses can be proud of and Memorial can be proud of and that will serve our community and our patients well."

The last strike involving nurses was in October 2002 after a disagreement over a new pension program and pay increases for veterans.  

One hospital official is confident a strike can be avoided. “Our goal has always been to have our nurses return to have their focus be on patient care ... and the best way to do that is to finalize this agreement," said Myra Gregorian, vice president of human resources for the hospitals.

Reach writer Mike Vulpo here

 

 

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