Sutter Health Nurses Plan Informational Pickets at 15 of Its Hospitals After Contract Negotiations Stall

RNs at 15 Sutter Health hospitals across Northern California are planning to hold informational pickets on Tuesday, March 15, to protest what they call Sutter’s "refusal to address RNs’ proposals about staffing, workplace violence, and pandemic readiness," according to the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU).

"We have been on the front lines before and during this pandemic," said Amy Erb, a critical care RN at California Pacific Medical Center of San Francisco.

"Throughout this time, we have witnessed Sutter Health become profitable while they refuse to invest in the resources we need in order for us to provide safe and effective care to our patients and community," Erb said.

Nurses notified Sutter Health corporate officials on March 4 that they would hold an informational picket. 

Sutter Health RNs have been in contract negotiations since June 2021 for a new contract, said a press release issued by CAN/NNU.

The RNs are requesting a contract that provides:

• safe staffing that allows nurses to provide safe and therapeutic care;

• pandemic readiness protections that require the hospitals to invest in personal protective equipment stockpiles and comply with California's PPE stockpile law;

• presumptive eligibility for workers’ compensation that covers infectious diseases and protocols; and

• workplace violence protections that include plans to mitigate and prevent violence within the hospitals.

"Sutter Health is not investing in us, the nurses, or the community they should be serving," said Renee Waters, RN in the trauma neuro intensive care unit at Sutter Roseville.

"Instead, they are frequently using the word 'commitment' in their responses to us without actually agreeing to proposals that hold them accountable," she said. "Our proposals are intended to correct Sutter’s gaps in pandemic readiness and workplace violence prevention. We want to have a proactive approach to the protections we deserve. We need Sutter to back up their statements that we are heroes and valued, with agreements to our proposals at the bargaining table."

Sutter responded to a HealthLeaders request for comment with a prepared statement:

"We remain focused on reaching a shared resolution," the statement reads.

"Just as Sutter’s commitment to safe, compassionate care remains unchanged, so does our goal of reaching an agreement that reflects the good and important work of our nurses and maintains our strength and stability as an organization. As we continue with negotiations, our patients will continue to receive uninterrupted, quality care."

This story was updated on March 14, 2022.