County of Santa Clara Update #2 on Work Action
- Hospital operations at O’Connor Hospital, St. Louise Regional Hospital and De Paul Health Center have been unaffected by the CNA work action.
- The County continues to deliver high-quality medical services to patients without interruption.
- The vast majority of nursing staff at both hospitals reported to their scheduled shifts in spite of the work action. At O’Connor Hospital, 114 nurses were scheduled for the day shift, and only 11 were no-shows or called in sick. At St. Louise Regional Hospital, 25 nurses were scheduled for the day shift, and only five were no-shows or called in sick.
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF.— O’Connor Hospital, St. Louise Regional Hospital, and De Paul Health Center are open today. All services are available, and patient appointments continue as planned. The County has taken all necessary steps to ensure that high-quality medical services, patient care, and hospital operations are unaffected by the CNA work action.
“The County’s highest priority will continue to be increasing access to high-quality healthcare to all Santa Clara County residents,” said County Executive Jeffrey V. Smith, M.D., J.D. “We are grateful that the vast majority of our nursing staff at O’Connor and Saint Louise hospitals reported to work as scheduled today, as we partner with our staff in providing excellent patient care.”
The addition of O’Connor and St. Louise community hospitals to the health system has expanded access for all residents to the highest quality healthcare.
At O’Connor Hospital, 114 nurses were scheduled for the day shift, and only 11 were no-shows or called in sick. At Saint Louise Regional Hospital, 25 nurses were scheduled for the day shift, and only five were no-shows or called in sick. No procedures have been postponed or cancelled today.
Since March 1, the County has welcomed more than 1,600 new employees, including over 650 nursing positions, through the purchase of O’Connor and Saint Louise hospitals. Employees working at those hospitals today were at risk of losing their jobs when the prior owner of the hospitals entered bankruptcy. Now, as public employees of the County, they receive all the benefits offered to public employees, including participation in the California Public Employment Retirement System (CalPERS).
CNA is not a County of Santa Clara recognized employee organization; therefore, its call for a strike by employees represented by other unions is unlawful. The strike is intended to pressure the County to bargain with CNA, rather than with the unions that represent the job classifications into which the new County employees were hired. It is not the County’s role to decide which unions represent which County employees. That is a matter for County employees to decide, free from County interference, pursuant to the processes for union recognition that are required by state law and local rules and regulations. CNA has not complied with these laws in its attempt to represent the nursing staff at O’Connor and Saint Louise hospitals.
For updates on the acquisition of the hospitals and the work action, please visit www.sccgov.org/hospitalacquisitionupdate.
* County of Santa Clara Update #2 on Work Action, March 12, 2019 News Release
ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA
The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multi-cultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, the sixth largest county in California. With a $7 billion budget, more than 70 agencies/departments and 20,000 employees, the County of Santa Clara plans for the needs of a dynamic community, offers quality services, and promotes a healthy, safe and prosperous community for all. The County provides essential services including public health and environmental protection, medical services through Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC), child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, parks, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and scores of other services, particularly for those members of our community in the greatest need.
Media Contact Laurel Anderson or Joy Alexiou, County of Santa Clara, (408) 299-5119.