Orange County Hospital Workers Strike for Fair Treatment and Safer Staffing

Hospital Workers Strike

• 🏥 Over 300 union members, including nurses and respiratory therapists, are on a three-day strike at Kindred Hospitals in Westminster and Brea.
• ✊ They are protesting what they describe as unfair treatment on the job and have been locked out of returning to work until tomorrow evening.

Key Demands and Concerns

• 💰 Union members are demanding higher wages, citing Kindred Hospitals as one of the lowest-paying facilities in Orange County.
• ⚠️ A primary demand is for safer staffing levels, with workers highlighting high turnover rates that negatively impact patient care.
• 😥 Current staff report feeling stressed, burnt out, and exhausted due to the demanding conditions and need for experienced personnel.

Company Response and Ownership

• 🏢 Kindred Hospitals is owned by Scion Health, which is part of the private equity firm Apollo Global Management.
• ✅ The company stated that the strike is a normal part of contract negotiations and claims that patient care has not been affected.
• 🤝 Kindred states they are working towards a fair deal with the union.