NUHW Members Picket Kindred Hospitals Over Staffing and Supply Issues

NUHW Members Picket Kindred Hospitals Over Staffing and Supply Issues

Members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) staged pickets at two Kindred hospitals in September to highlight concerns over staffing levels and patient care amid contract negotiations at Kindred Hospital Bay Area in San Leandro and San Diego.

These long-term acute care hospitals play a vital role in their local healthcare systems, often treating patients for extended periods after discharge from critical care facilities. However, conditions at both locations have gradually deteriorated since 2021, following Kindred's acquisition by a division of Apollo Global Management, one of the world's largest private equity firms with over $1 trillion in assets.

At Kindred Hospital Bay Area, workers report frequent equipment malfunctions and recurring supply shortages.

“Hemos tenido que envolver a pacientes en sábanas porque el hospital carece de batas de hospital,” stated Edna Renslow, a long-time nursing assistant at the hospital. “Nunca estuvo tan mal antes que el capital privado tomara posesión. Llegamos a trabajar todos los días comprometidos a dar el tratamiento que los pacientes necesitan, pero necesitamos niveles seguros de personal y suficientes suministros médicos para hacerlo. Este hospital debería ser un lugar comprometido a que la gente mejore, no ayudar a que una firma de capital privado se enriquezca más.”

The Bay Area picket received coverage from NBC Bay Area, KCBS Radio, and Hoodline.

Staff shortages are a persistent issue at Kindred Hospital San Diego, exacerbated by low wages, which workers aim to address through ongoing contract negotiations.

“Nos enorgullece dar el mejor tratamiento posible a nuestros pacientes, pero no podemos hacerlo cuando nos hace falta personal todo el tiempo,” said Neil Negrampa, a respiratory therapist. “Nunca tendremos los niveles seguros de personal sin salarios justos, pero Kindred está enfocado en hacer más dinero, no en dar la mejor atención posible.”

The San Diego picket was covered by Fox-5 San Diego and supported by several elected officials, including State Assemblymember Christopher Ward, San Diego County Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe, and San Diego City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn.

At Kindred Bay Area, management has resisted contractual language aimed at addressing supply and equipment shortages while proposing minimal wage increases that could worsen staffing issues and force employees to seek better pay elsewhere.

Between June 2023 and June 2026, more than half of Kindred Bay Area's workforce left the hospital, often seeking higher wages elsewhere. During this period, 68 percent of registered nurses, 67 percent of respiratory therapists, and 52 percent of nursing assistants departed.

Insufficient staffing has impacted patient care, with federal data from 2025 indicating that hospital bed sores were twice the national rate, and patient falls were five times higher than the national average. Since 2023, 86 complaints were filed against Kindred Bay Area with the California Department of Public Health, significantly exceeding the state average of 63.

“No hay excusa para la situación en nuestro hospital,” said Sammie Alazar, a registered nurse at Kindred Hospital Bay Area. “Estamos comprometidos a hacer lo correcto para con nuestros pacientes, y por eso estamos decididos a ganar un contrato que asegure que tenemos el personal, los suministros, y los recursos que sabemos que Kindred puede costear.”

The situation is similarly dire in San Diego, where workers seek wages that will help the hospital retain and attract healthcare professionals.

• Between February 2023 and July 2026, 129 complaints and incident reports were filed with the California Department of Public Health in connection with Kindred Hospital San Diego — nearly double the state average of 65 for similar facilities.
• Federal data from 2025 shows that patients at Kindred Hospital San Diego were eight times more likely to fall than the average hospital patient.

“No deberíamos tener que disculparnos con nuestros pacientes porque deben esperar demasiado tiempo para ser atendidos debido a la falta de personal en el hospital,” said Daniel Gallardo, a janitor at the hospital. “Kindred es propiedad de una de las firmas de capital privado más ricas; tiene los recursos para ayudarnos a proveer mejor atención, y estamos decididos a forzarlos que lo hagan.”

Kindred is part of ScionHealth, which is owned by the private equity firm Apollo Global Management. Apollo reported $4.5 billion in earnings last year and controls 220 hospitals across 26 states.

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