USC Hospital Workers Picket for Better Staffing and Fair Wages

Workers Protest for Better Conditions at USC Verdugo Hills

Nearly 400 employees from USC Verdugo Hills Hospital have taken to the streets for the first time since forming a union a year ago. The workers organized an informational picket to advocate for a contract ensuring safe staffing levels, fair wages, and adequate benefits.

Noemí Galván, an imaging technician at the hospital, expressed concerns about staffing levels to
KTLA-5. Galván highlighted the impact of insufficient staffing on the entire system, ultimately affecting patient care. The picket also received coverage from KABC radio and the
Glendale News Press.

Community leaders, including Assemblymember Nick Schultz and Taline Arsenian, President of the Glendale Teachers Association, joined the workers in their demonstration. The protest reflects strong community support for the hospital staff, who have been facing increasing challenges since USC acquired the facility in 2013.

While USC initially promised world-class medical care, recent closures of the maternity center and neonatal intensive care unit have raised concerns. The growing staffing shortages have left nursing assistants responsible for up to 14 patients per shift.

Ricardo Ramírez De La Rosa, a nursing assistant, criticized USC's response to the staffing crisis, stating, "We are being forced to care for more patients while services are cut." He added that the university's stance in contract negotiations exacerbates the situation.

As conditions worsen, hospital workers, including licensed vocational nurses, nursing assistants, medical technicians, and respiratory therapists, voted last December to join the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW). Despite ongoing negotiations, USC has yet to agree to proposals aimed at ensuring adequate staffing and equitable benefits comparable to those enjoyed by over 2,000 NUHW members at other Keck-USC hospitals.

The December 10 picket marks the first public action by the workers, but it may not be the last if negotiations with USC remain stagnant. Didi Sabino, who admits patients in the emergency room, remarked, "It was great to see so many of my coworkers come together to demand fair treatment for patients and themselves." Sabino emphasized the union's strengthened resolve over the past year and their commitment to ensuring USC respects both their work and the patients they serve.