Hundreds of Sequoia Hospital healthcare workers strike amid bargaining deadlock

Mercury News
By Aldo Toledo

REDWOOD CITY — Hundreds of support workers at Sequoia Hospital walked out of the job Monday to strike for better wages, benefits and working conditions after negotiations with Dignity Health for a new contract stalled.

The 300 nurses’ assistants, aides, surgical techs, respiratory therapists, housekeepers cooks and other essential workers voted 95% to go on strike July 7 after four months of failed contract negations with the Dignity Health system and its President Bill Graham.

Workers say the company has failed to “adequately address issues of fair pay and benefits” while also advocating for recruitment and retention of staff which has become “a major problem and has led to a crisis in patient caseload.”

On Monday, dozens of workers holding picket signs and shouting slogans like “enough is enough” and “4% won’t pay the rent” gathered at Dove Beeger Park in front of Sequoia Hospital alongside sympathetic elected officials like state Senator Josh Becker, San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa and Menlo Park Mayor and Supervisor candidate Ray Mueller.

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