More than 8,000 participating in strike at 15 Sutter facilities for safe staffing and health and safety protections; Sutter Health responds

By Allen D. Payton

The California Nurses Association (CNA) and CNA affiliate Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union (CHEU) announced on the National Nurses United website on April 8, that “Nurses and health care workers at 15 facilities across Northern California will hold a one-day strike on April 18 to protest Sutter Health’s refusal to address their proposals about safe staffing and health and safety protections.” The CNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United. The list of facilities includes Sutter Delta Medical Center on Lone Tree Way in Antioch.

This notice follows nearly unanimous strike authorization votes in March. Nurses and health care workers have given advance notice to Sutter Health for the strike. More than 8,000 registered nurses and health care workers are participating in the strike.

Sutter Health RNs and health care workers have been in negotiations since June 2021 for a new contract, with little to no movement on key issues. They urge management to invest in nursing staff and agree to a contract that provides:

• safe staffing that allows nurses to provide safe and therapeutic care and
• pandemic readiness protections that require the hospitals to invest in personal protective equipment stockpiles and comply with California’s PPE stockpile law.”

“The Sutter nurses voted for this strike,” said Renee Waters, a Trauma Neuro Intensive Care RN with 26 years of experience. “We are striking because Sutter is not transparent about the stockpile of PPE supplies and contact tracing. They resist having nurses directly involved in planning and implementation of policies that affect all of us during a pandemic. We must address these issues and more. A fair contract is needed to retain experienced nurses, have sufficient staffing and training, and ensure we have the resources we need to provide safe and effective care for our patients. Nurses are fighting back against Sutter putting profits before patients and health care workers.”

“Nurses overwhelmingly voted to go out on strike because we see no other option left for us and our patients,” said Amy Erb, RN , who works in Critical Care at California Pacific Medical Center. “We have tried repeatedly to address the chronic and widespread problem of short staffing that causes delays in care and potentially puts patients at risk, but hospital administrators continue to ignore us. We have a moral and legal obligation to advocate for our patients. We advocate for them at the bedside, at the bargaining table, and if we have to, on the strike line.”

Nurses and health care workers will be picketing from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Sutter Health Responds

Emma Dugas, Media Relations Coordinator with Sutter Health offered the following response from the healthcare organization late Sunday afternoon:

“Despite resuming negotiations with the involvement of a federal mediator, the California Nurses Association (CNA) has refused to call off their strike beginning 7 a.m. Monday. Work stoppages at 18 of our sites – even for a single day — require complex and costly preparation, and obligate us to make plans that our teams, patients and communities can rely on. Given the uncertainty of a looming strike, and in order to provide surety for our patients, communities and care teams, we will staff our hospitals on Monday with the contracted replacement workers where needed. We hope the CNA union will call off this strike so our nurses can return to work and do what they do best — care for our patients. We remain committed to continue bargaining as long as negotiations are progressing effectively toward averting the strike.”

Dugas provided an additional statement from Sutter Health on Monday:

“By moving forward with today’s costly and disruptive strike, union leadership has made it clear they are willing to put politics above patients and the nurses they represent – despite the intervention of federal mediators and our willingness to bargain in good faith while under threat of a strike. Our attention is on providing safe, high-quality care to the patients and communities we’re honored to serve. We are confident in our ability to manage this disruption. We are hopeful CNA shares our desire to reach an agreement and enable our nurses to turn their focus back to the patients the union has asked them to walk away from.”

Dugas also provided a Labor Fact Sheet dated April 2022 from Sutter Health with the following information:

“SUTTER HEALTH’S INVESTMENTS & COMMITMENT TO EMPLOYEES

Sutter Health is consistently recognized as one of the region’s best employers and a leader in providing safe, high-quality care for more than 3 million patients each year. The two go hand in hand: our caregivers provide exceptional, compassionate care for our patients, and we are dedicated to recognizing, investing in and supporting them.

PROVIDING COMPETITIVE PAY & BENEFITS

We know the quality of care we deliver is made possible by the dedicated clinical and professional teams across our integrated network. Sutter provides competitive wage and benefits packages that recognize employees’ hard work and support their total well-being. A nurse who chooses to work full-time at Sutter hospitals with CNA contracts receives generous benefits, including:

Competitive Salaries: An average of more than $140,000 (or more than $81/hour). The average annual wage for California nurses in 2021 was $124,000 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Employer Provided Healthcare Coverage: Access to comprehensive healthcare coverage for employees and their families — provided at no or low cost to staff.

Paid Time Off: Up to 41 paid days off annually and access to extended sick leave, as well as short- and long-term disability leave.

Retirement Benefits: We are proud to offer our employees several benefit plans that help our workforce plan for their retirement. For those employees participating in our cash balance pension design, we have proposed enhancing the earned interest that Sutter contributes to employees’ cash balance pension balance each year starting in 2024.

Career Development Support: Coursework, coaching, hands-on experience and other support for nurses seeking stability and growth over the course of an entire career.

Voluntary Benefits: Critical illness, supplemental life insurance and legal plans that provide essential resources when it’s needed most.”

See more details from Sutter Health’s Labor Fact Sheet, here: Sutter Health Labor Fact Sheet April 2022

Broke into branch; CEO provides details; over $100,000 in damage to just front of the building; attempt at Bank of America branch on Lone Tree Way Sunday morning may be related

By Allen D. Payton

In a post on their Facebook page on Sunday, April 17, Delta Schools Federal Credit Union announced the attempted theft of the ATM at their Lone Tree Way branch, earlier that morning.

“Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday. This happened this morning at 4 AM. So before you head over to use the ATM just wanted you to know Antioch’s finest decided to try and steal the ATM. They were not able to get anything just destroyed the front of the building and ATM. A huge thank you to Adam Wetzel from Next Level Solutions for answering the call at 6 AM and getting a crew out to shore up and secure the building. Give him a call 925-457-4966 for your construction needs. Twice he has come out and helped us in an emergency. Be safe out there. Thank you to Freedom Alarm for getting the police dispatched and out the office.”

When reached for comment Rob Greaff, CEO and President of the credit union said, “It was a comedy of errors watching it on the video. They almost ran over one of the guys three times.” “They were using a Gator-type recreational vehicle using a chain,” he continued. “It was a four-seater with a utility bed on the back. They had been planning this. They had chains, crowbars and even an extra gas can.”

The thieves also broke into the branch and caused more damage with a crowbar.

“They tried to get behind the teller window. But that’s bullet-resistant glass so it didn’t shatter. Then they left,” Greaff stated. “I’m downloading the surveillance camera videos and sharing them with Brentwood and Antioch Police.”

“I got the call about 4:10 AM,” he said. “The cameras showed they started in about 4:02 AM and made several attempts before finally breaching and causing the motion detector to set it off.”

“The B of A in Brentwood on Lone Tree was also hit Sunday morning, by the Carl’s Jr. at Shady Willow Lane,” he shared. “The police officers from Brentwood are waiting for photos from that incident to compare. The officer who showed up at our place said someone saw it flying down Lone Tree and that he was going to check the homeless encampments.”

“All they did was damage the entire front of the building after four attempts, and then damaged the inside and left us with a blood sample,” Greaff continued. “They cut themselves on something.”

“I was lucky to get someone to come out on an Easter Sunday morning. Otherwise, I would have had to stay here all day and night long,” he shared. “The good part is everyone is safe. Everything can be fixed and replaced. But a lot of damage. I don’t know the dollar amount. The gentleman who came out, who was only looking at the outside, said we’re looking at a minimum of $100,000 in physical damage. But that doesn’t include damage inside.”

The complete damage amount won’t be known until all the subcontractors provide him estimates.

“It makes you feel violated that someone can come in and do this and we know there hasn’t been any support to prosecute in the past,” Greaff added. “We don’t know if it will change. But if they aren’t dealt with, they’ll just keep doing the same.”

The credit union serves the financial needs of current and retired teachers and staff of Antioch and East County schools and any resident in the entire community.

“Any local resident can come in and open an account,” he shared.

The credit union has two branches located at 5123 Lone Tree Way in the Venture Commerce Center and at 701 W. 18th Street across from Antioch High School and both are open.

Download a copy, here – Good News Press Spring 2022

Which Antioch businesses were your favorites, last year? Vote, today!

Due to an error in the February issue (we published the back side of the ballot, twice!) The Herald has extended voting in the 2021 Antioch People’s Choice Awards through May 20th. 2021 Antioch People’s Choice ballot Front    2021 Antioch People’s Choice ballot Back

If you’ve already sent in your completed ballot – both sides have been on our website since the middle of February when the mistake was discovered – we thank you for that and there’s no need to send in another ballot. But for those who haven’t be sure to cut out the ballot, below and write down your favorite businesses located in Antioch, only (be sure to check their business address before voting for them) for each category and mail it to or drop it off at our address on the ballot.

The top three businesses in each category receive a decal and logos for either Gold, Silver or Bronze for use in print or online. Those who submit a ballot will be entered to win a gift certificate from a local business. So, vote for your favorite Antioch businesses and send in your ballot, today!

By Allen D. Payton

In his latest City Manager’s Bi-Monthly Update emailed on Wednesday, April 12, Antioch’s Interim City Manager Con Johnson promoted a ribbon cutting event he attended in Pittsburg for an affordable housing community by a company that might build similar homes in Antioch. The photo used is from the groundbreaking for the project that occurred, previously. CM Bi-Monthly Update 041222

He also promoted the Kitten Shower at the Antioch Animal Shelter that occurred last Saturday, April 9.

In addition, Johnson’s update promoted City Council Redistricting, although they chose their final map, during Tuesday night’s meeting in time for the April 17 deadline, thus completing the process.

That announcement reads: “CITY COUNCIL REDISTRICTING The City of Antioch is redistricting after the 2020 Census count. The City Council is holding hearings to receive public input on where district lines should be drawn. For more information email redistricting@antiochca.gov or call (925)779-7008.”

Following is the email message with link to the Update as it appeared in the Herald’s email account:

Questions for Con

The following questions were sent to Johnson on Wednesday afternoon, April 13 asking, “Why doesn’t it read ‘Interim City Manager’s Bi-Monthly Update’ since that’s your actual title? Who does the editing for it, you or someone else?”

He was also asked, “when will you publicly apologize at a council meeting to the council and public for lying on your resume about your qualifications as a retired police captain when that has been proven to not be true and the mayor admitted so, the night he introduced you during the first council meeting in your position?”

As of Thursday, April 14 at 1:15 PM Johnson did not respond.

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

To inspire, educate, and impart life skills to future mental health professionals

By Alex Madison, Content Marketing Writer III, Kaiser Permanente

Like many high schoolers, students at Dozier-Libbey Medical High School in Antioch, California, are unsure about their career moves post-graduation. With the help of a mentorship program led by Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s Mental Health Training Program, these students are getting a window into the behavioral health medical profession.

“Everyone has a different path in life, and my mentor allowed me to see the huge variety of pathways available to me,” said 18-year-old Syncere Jordan. “She told me what it took to get where she is today and what the day-to-day responsibilities of a health care worker are.”

Kaiser Permanente Northern California partnered with the 800-student high school last year to create a mentorship program in which 12 students meet virtually every week for 30 minutes with a mental health provider to talk about career pathways, resumes, college, and the realities of working as a mental health professional.

“I really appreciate the diversity the program allows,” said 16-year-old Emma Mauri. “My mentor and I have talked about everything from life skills, to education, to just telling stories. She’s inspired me to stop being so nervous about the decisions I’m facing about the future of my career.”

Giving back to student and mentor

Reflecting Kaiser Permanente’s core commitment to support mental health and wellness in the communities it serves, every mental health trainee of the Mental Health Training Program is required to complete over 30 hours of community outreach. The outreach focuses on improving the mental health of the local community in some important respect, beyond treating Kaiser Permanente members.

The mentors said educating young people on the importance of mental health and helping guide their future has been very fulfilling.

“My mentor and I have talked about everything from life skills, to education, to just telling stories. She’s inspired me to stop being so nervous about the decisions I’m facing about the future of my career.” – Emma Mauri

“As a first-generation Mexican American and first in my family to graduate college, I’m incredibly passionate about supporting these young people and creating awareness around the complex experiences of being a first-generation student,” said Irais Castro, PhD, a psychology postdoctoral resident at Kaiser Permanente Antioch.

“It’s important to foster these student’s interest in mental health or whichever field they are interested in,” said Nicole Wilberding, PhD, a psychology postdoctoral resident at Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek. “We encourage them to talk about their concerns and fears so they don’t feel overwhelmed about their future.”

Increasing awareness of mental health care

A goal of the 8-week mentorship program is to increase awareness about the field of clinical psychology and mental health among diverse youth populations. Kaiser Permanente shares in the U.S. challenge to meet the demand for mental health care that has been greatly exacerbated by the national shortage of trained mental health professionals.

Although many of the students involved in the mentorship program had not considered a career in mental health, some of them said they are now interested in learning more about the profession as a possible career choice.

Kathryn Wetzler, PsyD, regional director of Mental Health Training Programs, said, “It’s really valuable to identify the young people who are interested in mental health as a career and provide them with the understanding of what being a mental health professional is all about.”

Castro explained that it’s a vital time to educate people about the importance of mental health as a profession.

“We need more clinicians of color and diverse populations in the field, so I am grateful to have the opportunity to create awareness of the need.”

For Jordan, who is 3 months away from graduating high school, her relationship with her mentor is a “bond I will never forget and hope to continue after I graduate.”

Learn more about the Northern California Mental Health Training Program.