Sharp Healthcare Workers Enter Third Week of Protests Over Staffing, Wages

Workers at Sharp Healthcare facilities across San Diego County have entered their third week of picketing with the next protest planned Wednesday in Chula Vista.

The demonstrations, which will continue throughout August, spotlight safety concerns and chronic low wages driving a healthcare staffing crisis, organizers said.

Previous demonstrations have drawn hundreds of workers to Sharp Healthcare headquarters and, most recently, to Sharp Grossmont Hospital, as employees demand better working conditions.

“My co-workers and I show our dedication to patients every day, but we aren’t given the pay we need to care for our own families,” said Joyce Malveaux, a patient access services representative at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center. “It’s hard to attract and retain healthcare workers for such low wages in an expensive area like Chula Vista, so we’re always rushing from patient to patient and stretched thin. Our patients and our co-workers deserve better.”

In addition to wage issues, workers are also accusing Sharp Healthcare executives of violating federal labor laws. Several charges have been filed with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that Sharp has retaliated against workers supporting improvements and failed to negotiate in good faith.

The next protest is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21, outside Sharp Chula Vista Hospital, with another planned at Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus the following week.