Hospitals in Santa Clara County's public health system in California are gearing up to limit potential disruptions to patient care as more than 3,700 nurses plan to strike in early April.
County officials told the San Francisco Chronicle that emergency care and surgeries that cannot be rescheduled safely will go on as planned. Some elective surgeries and appointments, however, may be postponed. Hospitals plan to contact any patients with scheduled care who may be affected directly, officials said.
"Our highest priority is making sure our community members continue to get the high-quality care they need," County Executive James Wiliams said in a statement. "We are taking all necessary steps to safeguard patients, employees and visitors from the impacts of any possible strike activity."
On March 25, the Registered Nurses Professional Association announced plans to strike from April 2-4. The union represents more than 3,750 nurses within the county's public health system, which includes Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, O'Connor Hospital in San Jose, and St. Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy.
RNPA's last contract expired in October, and while both parties have come to tentative agreements on many key areas for nurses, including workplace safety, they remain at odds on wage increase and staff assignments. The union contends pay and benefit packages are "out of step with the local market," while Santa Clara County says it offers nurses one of the most competitive salary and benefits packages in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The average total compensation package for a full-time nurse represented by the union — which includes average overtime, differential pay and benefits — is $325,523, according to a news release from the county.
The county has said it will continue to negotiate with the union to reach an agreement on a new contract and avert a strike.