Nurses who work in San Joaquin County's health system in California will strike for three days beginning Feb. 27, according to a Feb. 18 union statement.
The nurses, who work at San Joaquin General Hospital in French Camp, Calif., and in public health and county jails and clinics, are scheduled to strike from 7 a.m. Feb. 27 to 6:59 a.m. March 2 at the hospital and county administration building.
The California Nurses Association, which represents nearly 800 nurses in San Joaquin County's health system, said concerns about patient care, staffing and personal protective equipment led to the strike decision.
"After more than two years of bargaining, management has demonstrated an overwhelming disrespect for nurses, at and away from the bargaining table," the union said in a news release. "The San Joaquin board of supervisors needs to fulfill their responsibilities as the elected body to support nurses and the community that uses county healthcare services and address the staffing crisis at San Joaquin General Hospital. Since the start of the pandemic, more than 160 nurses have left San Joaquin County's health system, which includes the hospital, public health, and jail, due to terrible working conditions."
The decision to strike comes during negotiations for a new contract that started in November 2018. Nurses in San Joaquin County's health system went on strike for five days last October, and a no-confidence petition on the performance of San Joaquin General Hospital CNO Belva Snyder, RN, was delivered to San Joaquin County supervisors and hospital CEO David Culberson Feb. 9.
The county had no comment when contacted by Becker's Hospital Review Feb. 18. This story will be updated with a statement if one is received.