Frontline healthcare workers at eight Sutter Health facilities across Northern California have ratified a new contract, successfully averting a potential strike. On Monday afternoon, employees overwhelmingly approved the agreement, with a remarkable 98 percent voting in favor. This decision comes after 96 percent of workers had authorized a strike earlier in the month.
The new contract addresses significant issues surrounding staffing and working conditions, ensuring fair pay and benefits for approximately 4,700 frontline healthcare workers. The agreement allows these employees to continue providing uninterrupted care to patients. In a statement released by Sutter Health, Dinora Garcia, a dietary clerk from Sutter Lakeside Hospital, emphasized the importance of unity among workers, saying, “This new contract shows that when we stand united, we can win improvements that protect both healthcare workers and our patients.”
Under the terms of the agreement, workers will receive a 14 percent increase in wages over the contract’s duration, along with protections for healthcare and retirement benefits. The contract covers employees at facilities located in nine cities, including Vallejo, Oakland, Santa Rosa, Roseville, Berkeley, Lakeport, Antioch, Castro Valley, and San Francisco.
The ratification follows a tentative agreement reached two weeks prior and comes against the backdrop of protests held by workers in August 2023. During these demonstrations, caregivers highlighted issues such as unsafe staffing levels, inadequate pay, and the need for investments in underserved communities. Protesters expressed concerns over executive pay increases while staff faced increasing workloads, leading to high levels of burnout among caregivers.
The healthcare workers are represented by SEIU-UHW, which includes a diverse range of positions, from nursing assistants to environmental services workers. The union’s efforts have focused on advocating for improved working conditions that ensure both worker and patient safety.
The passage of this contract marks a significant victory for Sutter Health workers, highlighting the power of collective bargaining and the ongoing challenges faced by healthcare professionals in ensuring adequate support and resources in their workplaces.
