NUHW Members Protest Understaffing at Providence Hospitals in California

On February 12, an unprecedented Day of Action was organized by over 2,000 members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) across Providence hospitals and hospices in Northern California. This event aimed to highlight critical understaffing issues and significant cuts to healthcare services that are impacting communities reliant on Providence's facilities.

NUHW members, who have a history of successful organizing, are now uniting in a campaign to pressure Providence into offering competitive salaries and benefits. This move is part of a broader effort to restore adequate staffing levels and prevent further service reductions following a series of closures.

Psyche Clark, an obstetrics technician with nearly three decades at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, remarked, "It’s really heartbreaking how we have fallen so far in the past 10 years." Clark emphasized the frequent closures and staffing shortages, pointing out, "We’re the trauma center. We should be the best."

Gabriela Caro, a scheduler at Queen of the Valley’s imaging center, echoed these sentiments, noting the decline in care quality since Providence assumed control from St. Joseph a decade ago. Caro stated, “They’ve been closing departments and cutting staff,” leading to longer patient wait times.

The protest garnered coverage from various media outlets, including the Press Democrat, Northern California Public Media, and Napa Valley Register, among others.

Providence, the fifth-largest nonprofit hospital system in the U.S., expanded into Northern California following its 2016 acquisition of St. Joseph Health. The organization now operates six hospitals in the region, five of which have NUHW-represented employees: Santa Rosa Memorial, Petaluma Valley, Queen of the Valley in Napa, and Redwood Memorial and St. Joseph Eureka in Humboldt County. There are also two hospices in Sonoma County under NUHW representation.

Despite holding $7.8 billion in financial reserves and operating a $150 million venture capital arm, Providence has laid off staff and reduced services since taking over these hospitals. Since 2020, it has closed outpatient labs, shut down birthing centers in Humboldt and Sonoma, closed the only acute rehab unit in Humboldt, and shuttered two urgent care clinics in Sonoma County.

Additionally, hospice workers in Sonoma County were laid off, with increased caseloads for remaining caregivers, limiting patient interaction time. Jennifer Harrison, a Petaluma-based hospice worker, expressed concerns about maintaining quality care for patients, saying, “If that means that I see five or six patients in an 8-hour day, it’s a full day, and I’m not able to really give patients the care that they deserve.”

Providence's profit-driven strategies extend beyond Northern California. In Oregon, nearly 5,000 nurses, represented by the Oregon Nurses Association, staged a month-long strike over "systemic understaffing." In Washington State, Providence agreed to refund $21 million in medical bills and forgive $137 million in medical debt as part of a settlement with the state's Attorney General over charges of sending eligible charity care patients to collections.

In California, former Attorney General Xavier Becerra blocked a proposed merger between Providence and Adventist hospitals due to concerns about increased healthcare costs and reduced access.

NUHW members are advocating for wage and benefit packages comparable to those offered by Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health, aiming to enhance staffing levels and safeguard services. They are also pushing for Providence to provide a five-month notice before any service closures, although Providence has resisted these demands and proposed annual raises below 2% for most workers.

Erica Goldsmith, a physical therapist at St. Joseph Eureka, highlighted the wage disparity, stating, “Providence is not offering us market wages for our work.” She noted that many employees leave for better-paying opportunities, although some remain due to their commitment to the community.

The demonstrations saw participation from local elected officials, with rallies at each picket line. In front of Memorial Hospital, state Assemblymembers Chris Rogers and Damon Connolly, among others, expressed support. According to the Press Democrat, Sonoma County Supervisor Chris Coursey shared personal reflections, emphasizing the critical role of healthcare workers, recounting his late wife's dedication as a nurse at Memorial Hospital.