Bay Area nurses picketing after going on strike

Registered nurses, respiratory technicians and X-ray technicians at 8 hospitals in the San Francisco Bay area, operated by Sutter Health, walked off the job around 7 a.m. in what will be a two-day strike. Nurses at two San Jose hospitals operated by Hospital Corporation of America went on strike for one day. The strike came as union leaders and hospital officials remained at odds over health benefits, sick leave and other issues. Union officials say the hospitals want to reduce the number of paid sick days for nurses and technicians, while eliminating healthcare coverage for those who work less than 30 hours a week.