Thousands of Sutter Health workers vote to strike over claims of unfair labor practices
96% vote in favor of a strike, claim Sutter Health management refuses to bargain in good faith in order to fix working conditions and short staffing
“Sutter Health has been bargaining in good faith with SEIU–UHW since July and we remain committed to reaching a fair and sustainable agreement.” – Sutter Health
By Renée Saldaña, Press Secretary, SEUI – United Healthcare Workers West
OAKLAND, Calif. – Frontline healthcare workers from eight different Sutter Hospitals and Medical Centers across Northern California have voted to authorize a strike over unfair labor practices. The workers overwhelmingly approved the strike with a 96% vote in support, citing bad faith bargaining by Sutter executives. Workers have not yet chosen dates and will continue trying to bargain with Sutter executives at upcoming sessions on October 9 and 10.
In August and September, these same caregivers held a series of rolling pickets at the sites of the possible future strike, including a march and rally at Sutter Health’s Sacramento Medical Center that drew over 1,000 frontline healthcare workers calling for safer staffing, fair pay, and investment in underserved communities across the giant healthcare system.
“We don’t want to go on strike, but we feel like we have to,” said Nikki Moorer of Sutter Solano. “We need management to stop bargaining in bad faith and listen to us to fix working conditions and short staffing. Procedures get canceled, and patients are sent home because there aren’t enough staff to properly stock the equipment we need. That’s not care. That’s a crisis.”
Healthcare workers at Sutter Health facilities in Oakland, Santa Rosa, Roseville, Berkeley, Lakeport, Vallejo, Antioch, Castro Valley, and San Francisco say that despite their dedication to provide the best patient care, management refuses to invest in the staff who make that mission possible. Turnover has forced employees to take on multiple roles and work longer hours as experienced caregivers leave for higher-paying jobs. Staffing shortages are stretching the remaining workforce thin and putting patient care at risk. Despite this, Sutter executives refuse to listen to frontline healthcare workers to negotiate for a contract to help solve these problems.
At the same time, Sutter is paying its top executives millions each year, including Sutter Health CEO Warner Thomas, who earned over $11 million in 2023, while refusing to invest in staffing and patient care. The health system also plans to replace the aging Alta Bates Ashby campus with a smaller facility in Emeryville, leading to a loss of services in the communities that need them most.
The strike votes apply to a variety of job classes, including nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, licensed vocational nurses, environmental services, cooks, technicians, and more.
Sutter Health Responds
Sutter Health responded by issuing the following statement: “Sutter Health has been bargaining in good faith with SEIU–UHW since July and we remain committed to reaching a fair and sustainable agreement.
“It’s common for unions to take a strike authorization vote as part of the bargaining process, but SEIU–UHW has not called a strike.
“We look forward to being at the table next week to continue working toward a resolution that’s best for our employees, our patients and the communities we serve.”
About SEIU-UHW
SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) is a healthcare justice union of more than 120,000 healthcare workers, patients, and healthcare activists united to ensure affordable, accessible, high-quality care for all Californians provided by valued and respected healthcare workers. Learn more at www.seiu-uhw.org.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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