Last-minute negotiations fail to avert Rady Children’s nurses strike

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Rady Children’s Hospital administration and unionized nurses failed to reach an agreement in last-minute contract negotiations with the goal of averting their first-ever strike.

United Nurses of Children’s Hospital (UNOCH) Local 1699 said in an email to the unionized nurses on Wednesday that its negotiation team, who had met with Rady leadership several times since a strike was authorized , found parts of the best and final offer “unacceptable.”

“After three more days of meeting with [Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego] and a long 10 hour day of negotiations we were unable to reach a new deal,” the email said.

According to the message, the deal on the table did include “modest economic gains,” but they noted it “presented a takeaway in retirement.” One of the key demands of the union in negotiations is better benefits, such as health care and retirement plans.

The offer would have also required the strike to be postponed, only allowing union members to vote on the deal if they do not walk off the job as planned, the union added.

In a statement, Rady Children’s Hospital officials said they are “deeply disappointed” the negotiation team for UNOCH Local 1699 did not accept the contract proposal, saying it was “fair, equitable, very competitive and responsive to the union membership’s stated priorities.”

Without the deal, the some 1,600 unionized nurses at Rady Children’s Hospital are scheduled to walk off the job for two days beginning on Monday, July 22. A 10-day strike notice was issued to hospital administration last Thursday.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but it is one that the hospital’s relentless refusal to value our critical work has forced upon us,” Katie Langenstrass, executive director of UNOCH Local 1699, said in a statement last week after the notice to strike was filed.

“The hospital’s unwillingness to offer fair wages and benefits is driving away experienced nurses and making it difficult to recruit new talent. This constant turnover jeopardizes the quality of patient care,” she continued. “The administration at Rady Children’s Hospital has left us no choice but to take this stand.”

UNOCH Local 1699 officials noted they would “work closely with the hospital” to ensure patients can continue receiving care while the strike is ongoing.

According to the hospital’s statement on Thursday, Rady Children’s Hospital said they have contracted with a professional staffing agency to bring on additional licensed pediatrics nurses for the duration of the strike to prevent care disruptions.

“Rady Children’s is deeply committed to ensuring our community’s healthcare needs are met during the union’s strike,” the statement continued.

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