About 1,300 nurses at Kaiser Permanente's Los Angeles Medical Center who are members of the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United are set to begin a four-day strike Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The nurses contend that the staffing levels at Los Angeles Medical Center are inadequate, allegedly harming patient care and preventing meal breaks, and they are seeking a contract to improve staffing levels. They are also seeking a collective bargaining agreement for improved wages.
Kaiser disputes those claims and issued a statement saying, "This strike is not about quality or adequate staffing levels." Kaiser said it has made offers that will make LAMC nurses "among the highest paid nurses in Southern California." However, instead of providing a counter proposal to Kaiser's most recent offer to the union, the nurses scheduled the strike.
Nurses with the union went on a seven-day strike that began March 15. At that time, the nurses were seeking an agreement that resolved staffing issues and improved wages. Debra Grabelle, spokeswoman for the California Nurses Association, told the Los Angeles Times that conditions or wages haven't improved since the last walkout.
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