Frustrated Nurses, Techs, Service, Maintenance Workers and Others Set to Picket Over Understaffing, Poverty Wages and No Contract at Antelope Valley Hospital
ANTELOPE VALLEY, Calif., July 5 /PRNewswire/ — On the job without a contract because of bitter negotiations that have been going on for more than a year, over 1,200 Antelope Valley Hospital caregivers will hold a one-day informational picket to let the community know about their issues.
Caregivers including Licensed Vocational Nurses, dietary workers, and maintenance workers at this facility are fighting for basic staff protections including sufficient staffing levels to keep the facility clean and an improvement over sub-standard wages that are as low as $8.35 an hour. These basic protections will help the hospital “recruit and retain the best possible staff so our patients get the best possible care,” said Joe Lach, Radiology Tech at the hospital. “We voted for this public action to move forward for our families, our patients and our community.”
“I want this contract settled because I’m tired of getting paid $1 per patient, per hour,” said Patsy Maldonado, a Licensed Vocational Nurse. “I make $14.95 per hour and have 14-16 patients per day to care for. And that’s too many patients to provide quality care.”
Picketers are asking for workplace standards that have already been adopted by the other leading healthcare systems, including Kaiser, Catholic Healthcare West, and Hospital Corporation of America. Without competitive compensation and benefits, Antelope Valley Hospital will have trouble retaining qualified workers, and patient care could suffer. The one-day informational picket will not affect patient care as the caregivers will only picket on their breaks and at lunch time.
What: Informational Picketing and Press Conference Where: On the sidewalk, in front of Antelope Valley Hospital 1600 W Avenue J, Antelope Valley, Calif. When: Thursday, July 12, 2007 11:00am – 1:00pm Informational Picketing 12:00-12:30pm Press Conference Who: Antelope Valley Caregivers including LVNs, Techs
SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West represents more than 140,000 healthcare workers. We are the largest and fastest growing healthcare union in the Western U.S. SEIU UHW represents every type of healthcare worker, including nursing, professional, technical and service classifications, with a mission to achieve high quality healthcare for all.
Contact: Tadzio Garcia, 213-300-8974
mailto: tgarcia@seiu-uhw.org
SEIU United Healthcare Workers
CONTACT: Tadzio Garcia of SEIU United Healthcare Workers,+1-213-300-8974, tgarcia@seiu-uhw.org
Web site: http://www.seiu-uhw.org/