Picket line grows to 1,400 at UC Davis hospital strike

Roughly 1,400 workers picketed for a second day at the UC Davis hospital and campus on Tuesday, as two unions representing nurses and physical therapists, social workers and dietitians went on strike in sympathy with members of AFSCME 3299.

The pickets have rallied throughout the University of California system. Combined, the three unions have about 10,000 members at UC Davis and 53,000 system-wide. Like AFSCME 3299, the California Nurses Association and University Professional and Technical Employees-CWA have been involved in protracted contract talks with the UC.

“Today nurses are here in solidarity with our co-workers, our AFSCME co-workers. We want them to get a fair contract,” said Shirley Toy, a clinical nurse on the progressive-care unit and a CNA member. “They’ve cut clerks, and it falls onto us ... It definitely affects us as nurses because if they’re not there, we have to do their work.”.

Greg Wine, vice president of the Davis chapter of UPTE, said he was fed up with pay inequities and a dearth of serious bargaining on the part of UC negotiators.

“We have been meeting at the bargaining table, all three unions,” he said, “and (UC) are not participating the way that we would like to. It’s difficult for all of us to get dates together to meet at the bargaining table.”

Toy said she estimates she’s losing $1,000 in pay per day by participating in the strike. Nurses do not receive hardship pay from CNA.