Members of SEIU United Healthcare Workers West have plan to strike at 11 Tenet Healthcare facilities in California.
The union represents nearly 4,000 Tenet employees, whose contract expired June 30, according to a news release. Tenet is based in Dallas.
A union representative told Becker's Oct. 3 that SEIU has issued a 10-day notice to strike. The strike is slated to start at 6 a.m. Oct. 23 and end at 6 a.m. Oct. 28. A strike could still be averted if an agreement is reached.
"We want Tenet Healthcare to bargain with us in good faith to address healthcare staffing and help ensure the additional support needed in the workplace and our hospital markets," the union representative said. "Tenet Healthcare can and must do better for our communities."
Tenet expressed disappointment about the union's action and reiterated its committment to bargaining in good faith to reach a fair agreement to continue to recruit and retain workers.
"We provided SEIU with a competitive initial wage offer that would result in some of the highest increases SEIU-represented employees have ever seen," the hospital operator said in a statement shared with Becker's Oct. 3. "Despite this starting point, SEIU is refusing to make meaningful movement on its wage proposal. In fact, at the session yesterday, when the SEIU owed us a counter proposal, the union refused to provide any updated proposal on annual increase for employees."
If a strike does occur, it would affect Doctors Medical Center Modesto, as well as the following facilities:
- Sierra Vista Medical Center (San Luis Obispo)
- Lakewood Regional Medical Center
- Doctors Hospital of Manteca
- Emanuel Medical Center (Turlock)
- Twin Cities Community Medical Center (Templeton)
- Los Alamitos Medical Center
- Desert Regional Medical Center (Palm Springs)
- JFK Memorial Hospital (Indio)
- Placentia Linda Hospital
- Hi-Desert Medical Center (Joshua Tree)
Union members include licensed vocational nurses; certified nursing assistants; medical assistants; emergency room, radiology and respiratory techs; and others.
"We would like to prioritize reaching an agreement for our employees," Tenet said in its statement. "However, should a strike occur, we are prepared and will be in full operation during that time."
This story was updated at 3:57 p.m. CDT Oct. 3.