California Nurses Plan Strikes at Six Tenet Hospitals on October 30

California Nurses Plan Strikes Over Staffing Concerns

Registered nurses at six Tenet hospitals in California are set to stage one-day strikes on Thursday, Oct. 30. This action comes as a response to what they describe as Tenet Healthcare Corporation's failure to address significant concerns about patient care and staffing levels, as reported by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU). Since February, the 3,100 nurses represented by CNA have been engaged in contract negotiations with little progress on these critical issues.

The planned strikes will affect the following hospitals: San Ramon Medical Center (San Ramon); Doctors Hospital Manteca (Manteca); Doctors Medical Center (Modesto); Emanuel Medical Center (Turlock); Desert Regional Medical Center (Palm Springs); and Hi-Desert Medical Center (Joshua Tree).

"It’s clear to the nurses that Tenet is prioritizing profits over patients," stated Joeton Labos, an ICU nurse at San Ramon Medical Center. "We continue to lose experienced nurses to other area hospitals, which jeopardizes our ability to provide safe patient care. We will do everything in our power to fight for our patients, and that includes going out on strike!"

On Oct. 20, nurses provided Tenet with a 10-day notice of their intended strike, giving management time to arrange alternative patient care. The decision to strike was unanimously supported by the nurses in a vote conducted during the week of Sept. 8.

RNs at Tenet are calling for management to prioritize investments in nursing staff and the communities served by agreeing to standards that ensure top-quality patient care, including:

• Guaranteed meal and rest break coverage. Nurses often work 12-hour shifts and require time to eat and regroup to remain effective for their patients.
• Improvements in recruiting and retaining experienced nurses. Experienced nurses are vital for safe patient care and serve as mentors to less experienced staff.
• Lift teams for patient handling. Dedicated personnel for patient lifting tasks can help prevent injuries to both patients and nurses.
• Safe staffing at all times. Adequate staffing is crucial to prevent delays in patient care, which can have harmful consequences.

Tenet Healthcare Corporation, a multibillion-dollar entity, reported profits of $4.1 billion last year, a significant increase from $1.3 billion in 2023. The CEO, Saum Sutaria, was the highest-paid health care CEO in the country, earning more than $24 million in 2024.

CNA represents 3,100 nurses across six Tenet hospitals in California.

The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the nation's largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses, with over 100,000 members across more than 200 facilities in California and over 225,000 RNs nationwide.

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