LA Nurses Plan Strike on Oct. 30 for Patient Safety at USC Hospitals

Los Angeles Nurses to Strike Over Patient Safety Concerns

In Los Angeles, California, nurses from University of Southern California Keck Hospital (USC Keck) and Norris Cancer Center (USC Norris) have announced a one-day strike to take place on Thursday, October 30. The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU), representing 1,800 nurses from these facilities, confirmed this decision as part of ongoing contract negotiations.

These negotiations have highlighted significant issues, prompting nurses to inform hospital management in advance to ensure alternative patient care arrangements are made.

Event Details:

• What: Registered nurses' strike for patient safety
• When: Thursday, Oct. 30, 7 a.m. to Friday, Oct. 31, 6:59 a.m.

• Walkout and picket line to commence at 7 a.m.
• Rally scheduled for 12 p.m.

• Where: USC Keck, 1500 San Pablo St., Los Angeles

Reports of Missed Breaks at USC Facilities

Nurses from USC Keck and USC Norris have reported a concerning number of missed breaks, including over 10,000 missed meal breaks and 4,000 rest breaks in 2024 alone. By July 2025, this included 4,631 meal breaks and 2,210 rest breaks.

Rudy Cuellar, RN, a member of the bargaining team and nurse in the Cardiothoracic ICU at USC Keck, emphasized the critical nature of the situation. The break relief situation is currently very dire, with nurses working up to 10 hours without a break to use the restroom or drink water, he stated. Cuellar pointed out that the lack of resource nurses is a key issue, as management has not provided adequate staffing.

Resource nurses play a vital role in supporting other nurses by handling tasks such as patient admissions and training. Their absence has resulted in nurses missing essential breaks during their 12-hour shifts.

Gina Vergara, RN, from the heart and lung transplant ICU at USC Keck and also part of the bargaining team, added, Staffing policies are stretching nurses too thin and shortchanging patients of the high-quality care they deserve. She stressed the need for proper staffing and support to maintain patient care standards, noting that their strike also seeks respect and fairness.

The nurses are advocating for improved rest periods between shifts, which they believe are crucial for delivering better patient care.

Negotiations have been ongoing since May 2025, and the nurses previously organized an informational picket on July 24, followed by a strike authorization vote on August 22.

The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United represents over 100,000 members across more than 200 facilities in California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide, making it the largest and fastest-growing union for registered nurses in the nation.