Thousands of healthcare workers stage strike in California [Video link]

Thousands of medical workers have staged a strike in the US state of California, delaying emergency care, surgeries and other medical treatment, Press TV reports.

An estimated 13,000 healthcare workers from five University of California (UC) medical centers around the state began a strike on Tuesday, demanding better care for patients and increased staffing.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), representing vocational nurses, respiratory therapists and radiology technicians called the two-day strike to highlight poor patient care at UC hospitals in San Francisco, Davis, Los Angeles, San Diego and Irvine.

“That’s why we’re so upset and moved because this is about patient care. If you discharge a patient and the room is not clean, and you put another patient in there, of course they’re going to get sick. They’re going to come down with whatever that last patient had,” said Todd Perez, a medical technician.

Moreover, UC’s Human Resources Vice President Dwaine Duckett said the strike had forced the postponement of hundreds of surgeries, including five pediatric heart surgeries and specialized procedures such as chemotherapy infusions for children with cancer.

The demonstrators also demanded an increase in pay and benefits.

This is while UC hospital leaders continue to receive bonuses worth millions of dollars.

“If they’d come to the table in good faith, we wouldn’t have to be out here protecting our patients and protecting our livelihood. I’ve been here 46 years. This is the worst I’ve seen the discrepancy between management level, administrators and the workers in the system,” said Cliff Fried, a healthcare worker.

The strike, which came after 11 months of failed negotiations between the union and the hospital, is estimated to cost the hospital USD 20 million in lost revenue.

Meanwhile, California’s labor board has resorted to a state judge to intervene and order the health workers back to work.

GMA/KA

[Source]: Press TV – link to video