The United Hospital Workers Union announced Tuesday, October 27, that its members at Hi-Desert Medical Center and 10 other Tenet Hospitals across California have authorized a one-day walkout amid negotiations for improved pandemic-related health and safety protections. Reporter Mike Lipsitz has more from both sides of the issue…
Should the union’s bargaining committee opt to move ahead with the strike, it must give Tenet a 10-day advance notice, something it has not yet done. The workers, which include non-nursing ancillary staff, want a contract that ensures more comprehensive protections, staffing, testing, and clearer safety protocols. A spokesman for Tenet says their COVID response has been built around the safety of patients and staff and complies with Centers for Disease Control guidelines and state orders. While negotiations are ongoing at this point, Tenet says that should talks breakdown and workers walk out, the hospital will remain fully operational and patient care will continue uninterrupted. In addition to Hi-Desert Medical Center, the company operates Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs and John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio.
