This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA.
Workers at Oakland’s Children’s Hospital just ended a two-week strike involving members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), California Nurses Association (CNA), and the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE).
The strike was in opposition to an “integration plan” by UCSF Health, which has gradually taken financial control of the hospital since a 2014 “affiliation agreement.” UCSF’s so-called “integration plan” would force Children’s Hospital workers to become UCSF employees and reclassify into different UC system unions—with worse healthcare and retirement benefits.
The unions argued this plan was illegal and went on strike, arguing this was a violation of their contracts. The strike ended after a judge ruled that UCSF could proceed with the plan for now, but it may go to arbitration next. According to NUHW, if this plan goes through, workers stand to lose an average of $10,000 per year in take-home pay, largely due to higher out-of-pocket costs for benefits.
This move is a clear attack by the Bay Area healthcare bosses to shift wealth out of the hands of East Bay healthcare workers and line their own pockets! This is something Highland and Kaiser workers know well!
Click here to read the article printed in the 07-02-25 Healthcare Newsletter
