Nurses at Stanford (Calif.) Health Care and Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, Calif., have voted for the option to strike, according to the East Bay Times.
The vote covers nurses represented by the Committee for Recognition of Nursing Achievement, who have been in negotiations with the hospitals since January.
Nurses and the hospitals have not been able to agree on wages, benefits and working conditions “nurses need and deserve,” according to a news release from the nurses union.
Nurses said they are seeking better pay to improve hiring and retention. They also seek better retiree medical benefits, more protections for part-time employees and a stronger program to deter workplace violence, according to the Times.
Hospital representatives told the Times that they want a deal that is competitive and fair for nurses.
“We are hopeful an agreement that our nurses can be proud of and support will be reached, just as we have been able to do in past negotiations,” the hospital statement says.
Negotiations will continue with a federal mediator. If the union calls a strike, nurses would not walk off the job until at least 10 days after a strike notice had been issued to the hospitals.
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