Photo by Eric Guerra
On September 25th the IELC joined the picket line at Dignity Health’s Community Hospital of San Bernardino, organized by SEIU-UHW. Hospital workers were protesting the short-staffing crisis caused by Dignity Health, who have kept the practice of maintaining a small crew established during the pandemic. The practice is harmful to workers and patients alike, meanwhile the hospital’s profits soar. Workers faced other major issues, like outsourcing departments to non-union hospitals, the risk of enforced reduction (firing workers without an intention to replace them), and lab work being sent to hospitals in L.A. county – increasing turnaround times for patients. Common Spirit’s Dignity Health hospitals are prioritizing profits over workers AND patients!
Hear from Zelda, a worker at Dignity Health’s Community Hospital of San Bernardino about conditions and what workers want! Huge thank you to Zelda for your time and sharing your experience.
Workers are demanding that CommonSpirit executives invest in patient care, commit to respecting and listening to workers, and move forward in ending the short staffing crisis!
Notable attendees included of course the righteous members of SEIU-UHW and other sympathetic workers, Assembly Member Eloise Reyes, and LULAC’s Director for District 5 of California, Anthony Noriega.
Read SEIU-UHW’s press release for more information regarding the collective efforts with other hospitals picketing here.
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