Guest contribution — Caregivers at 11 Tenet Healthcare Facilities Vote to Strike Over What Union Members Believe to be an Unfair Labor Practice Committed by the Employer

CALIFORNIA – Healthcare workers across 11 Tenet Healthcare facilities in California are the latest group of workers to authorize what they believe to be an Unfair Labor Practice strike, Healthcare workers say Tenet is not bargaining in good faith with them to address working conditions, and staffing challenges in facilities.

The unfair labor practice strike will take place at Sierra Vista Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, Lakewood Regional Medical Center, Doctors Hospital of Manteca, Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock, Twin Cities Community Medical Center in Templeton, Los Alamitos Medical Center, Doctors Medical Center Modesto, Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, JFK Memorial Hospital in Indio, Placentia Linda Hospital, and Hi-Desert Medical Center in Joshua Tree if progress is not made in negotiations between Tenet and frontline healthcare workers.

“We care deeply about our patients and want to give them the best care possible, and we need more healthcare workers to better deliver that care, just like every other hospital in California,” said Christine Ague, a Respiratory Therapist at Doctors Medical Center Modesto. “We need more support from Tenet. Worker and patient safety are our top priority.

Tens of thousands of healthcare workers have voted to authorize strikes at Tenet Healthcare, Prime Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente, Fresenius Medical Care, Satellite Healthcare, and other healthcare corporations this fall.

Nearly 4,000 Tenet Healthcare employees are members of SEIU United Healthcare Workers West. They work in various jobs, including licensed vocational nurses, certified nursing assistants, medical assistants, emergency room, radiology, respiratory techs, and many other fields. Their contract expired on June 30, 2023.