Sharp HealthCare employees vote to authorize 5-day strike

SAN DIEGO (KGTV)— Frontline healthcare workers with SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) voted on Friday to authorize a five-day strike to protest at Sharp Healthcare.
According to a press release sent by the union, the strike was approved by a 92% yes vote from around 5,000 healthcare workers with Sharp Grossmont Hospital, Sharp HospiceCare, Chula Vista Medical Center, Memorial Hospital, Mesa Vista Hospital and Mary Birth Hospital for Women and Newborns.
Opening negotiations between the union and Sharp Healthcare started in late 2023 and, after more than 33 negotiating sessions, have yet to reach its first contract agreement.
Healthcare workers, according to the release, said the executives at Sharp do not recognize issues, including low staffing within the facilities and low pay.
“Short staffing and low pay put patients and workers at risk as workers struggle to meet patients’ needs, and many frontline caregivers at Sharp facilities are forced to commute hours to work due to the lack of affordable housing,” SEIU-UHW said in the release.
The strike vote applies to the following job classes:
Certified nursing assistants, licensed vocational nurses, respiratory care practitioners, pharmacy technicians, patient transporters, radiologic technologists, surgical technologists, lab technicians, nursing unit clerks
The union says there are numerous other healthcare workers to whom Friday’s vote would apply.
ABC 10News reached out to Sharp Healthcare for a statement and is waiting to hear back.