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Hospital workers strike in Orange County
Hospital workers demonstrate in Westminster
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - More than 300 union caregivers, including nurses, therapists, and housekeepers, are currently on a three-day strike at two Kindred hospitals in Westminster and Brea.
The workers are picketing to protest what they describe as unfair labor practices, citing low wages and chronic understaffing as key issues that have led to high employee turnover.
The striking employees are demanding higher pay and safer staffing levels to address these concerns.
Union leaders are pushing for raises of up to 6.5% in the first year of a new contract, while Kindred has countered with an offer of 2.5%. Workers say that starting pay at the hospitals is approximately $21 per hour, which they claim makes these facilities among the lowest-paying hospitals in Orange County.
In addition to the wage dispute, union members allege that management has locked out striking workers, preventing them from returning to work until 7 p.m. on the final day of the strike.
Kindred is owned by ScionHealth, a subsidiary of the private equity firm Apollo Global Management. In response to the strike, the company has stated that it views the action as part of the bargaining process. Kindred also insists that patient care has not been disrupted during the strike and has expressed its commitment to reaching a fair agreement with the workers.
The strike highlights ongoing tensions between hospital management and employees over pay and working conditions, with both sides continuing to negotiate in hopes of resolving the dispute.