SAN DIEGO—Negotiators representing Rady Children’s Hospital nurses have rejected the latest agreement with the hospital and are planning to go on strike in San Diego for the next two days.
Due to the increasing housing costs in the county, the strike is scheduled to take place from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on July 22. The strike will then continue on July 23 at Rady Children’s Hospital, located at 3020 Children’s Way, as stated by Katie Langenstrass, the executive director of United Nurses of Children’s Hospital Teamsters Local 1699.
According to the union statement, “Although our bargaining team has come to an agreement, it is ultimately up to the membership to decide, and they believe that it does not meet their needs. This proposed agreement fails to adequately address the high cost of living in San Diego, known as the most expensive city in the country, and does not meet the standards required to attract and retain the skilled nurses our hospital requires.”
The statement also mentioned that the hospital’s refusal to meet reasonable demands has left them with no choice but to strike.
“Despite our attempts to work with the hospital to ensure that essential and specialized nurses remain on duty, the hospital has chosen to bring in replacement nurses from other states. This decision, which is a clear sign of disrespect towards our dedicated nurses and the patients they care for, only strengthens our determination. We are committed to securing fair wages, benefits, and the respect that our nurses deserve. We do not want to strike, but we feel that we have no other option,” the statement concluded.
