UCI Medical Center Employees Plan to Strike

About 13,000 employees at the five University of California hospitals -- including at UCLA and UC Irvine -- have voted to go on strike 10 days from now, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees announced today.

The patient care technical workers -- those who perform MRIs and similar procedures -- authorized the strike to begin March 24, after a vote with 97 percent support, according to the union.

They contend the UC system has unilaterally implemented contract terms and benefit cuts, and has made an 11th hour demand for new layoff powers. The union said it filed unfair labor practice charges against the university.

"By repeatedly and illegally subverting the collective bargaining process, UC has created unnecessary conflict and sabotaged our good faith efforts to improve patient care at UC hospitals," said Randall Johnson, a union leader and MRI technologist at UC San Francisco. "The frontline workers we represent know that if left unchallenged, UC's serial lawbreaking will ultimately endanger the patients we serve. And we are not going to let that happen."

Labor organizations have long complained about staffing practices at UC hospitals.

Dwaine Duckett, vice president of UC human resources, said "perpetuating conflict by threatening patient care" has become a recurring bargaining tactic for AFSCME leaders.

"This is patently unfair to the people we serve and our other dedicated hospital workers," Duckett said. "Our patients are not bargaining chips, and strikes are disruptive to the entire medical center community."

He said his focus was on achieving a fair contract with the employees, but his statement did not address the union's allegations.

The UC system also includes hospitals in San Diego, Davis and San Francisco.

AFSCME said it will leave 49 employees in place in critical positions, including burn units, intensive care units and dialysis.

Also, they will form a task force that will respond to any major medical emergencies that arise while they are on the picket line, union officials said.

--City News Service