Elective Surgeries Canceled Ahead Of Looming UC Walkout

WESTWOOD (CBSLA.com) — A potential walkout among 13,000 workers at five University of California medical centers statewide next week has already prompted officials to cancel elective surgeries.

KNX 1070′s Jon Baird reports UC officials are working to obtain a court order that would stop the two-day walkout scheduled to begin Tuesday.

The planned demonstration comes after UC patient care and technical workers rejected pension reforms proposed by UC officials and accused the University of choosing to protect “oversized entitlements” rather than providing adequate patient care.

In addition to delaying active surgeries, the strike would also divert patient care to other area facilities and force front-line supervisors to perform additional duties, according to union officials.

Todd Stenhouse, spokesman for AFSCME 3299, which represents technical and nursing assistants, licensed vocational nurses, respiratory therapists and others, said the University must first address its skyrocketing pension plans before proposing any new reforms.

“They’re actually demanding that executives who make up to $300,000 a year for life when they retire, that those amounts be protected,” Stenhouse said. “Our point is that if you want to have real pension reform, you cap executives.”

UC officials are planning to hire temporary replacement workers during the strike, including 600 for its Westwood and Santa Monica medical centers.

[Source]: CBSLA.com