ON THE PICKET LINE: Oakland Healthcare Workers at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Hit Back

I went to the picket line at University of California, San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital to talk to strikers fighting back against a proposed “Integration Plan” that will cancel — illegally — the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) existing union contract and cut pay for many employees. 

Families were out to support their loved ones. California Nurses Association and Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union were out in solidarity, and the picket was going strong.

This is what the strikers told Bay Area Current.

Fran Merriweather

Social Worker at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, NUHW Member

Why are you on strike? UCSF is trying to undo all of the good work that myself and others here have done in this community and with this hospital. We serve a rich community of families, many of whom are challenged in many spheres of their lives. UCSF is focused on cost cutting, and not doing what’s best for families and employees. It’s a power grab, a union-busting move.

What’s the one thing you would change about the Bay? I wish it were more affordable for families. It’s increasingly difficult for families to be here.

Alejandro

Medical Interpreter at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital for 16 years, NUHW Member

What do you lose if UCSF illegally cancels your union contract? They [USCF] put a lot of restrictions on what we do…there’s also a lot of technology creep. They are using a lot of remote services and AI to implement that. It cuts a lot of the jobs for actual people, human beings.

What gives you hope? Immediately, right now, it's the amount of people that showed up…There’s a lot of forces against us. A lot of anti-union sentiment right now.

What’s the one thing you would change about the Bay? Potholes. It’s rough out here.

Despite it all, it's the potholes that are the real enemy.

Aina Gagui

Registered Nurse at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, Chief Nurse Rep for the California Nurses Association

What would winning mean? Winning would mean that our patients are also winning. The contracts that we have protect workers so that we can take care of ourselves, and come back refreshed to take care of our patients.

What would the impact be of the UC’s — so called — Integration Plan? There are many employees that are retiring early because they are not going to get a decent retirement over at UC. The healthcare costs are going to go way up. There is already a staffing crisis inside and with people leaving that will just exacerbate the issue.

Humberto
Psychotherapist at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, NUHW Member

Why are you striking? Really only one reason. UCSF is breaking our contract. UCSF is doing something that’s plainly illegal. We charge that it does not have the right to dissolve our union, to dissolve our contract.

Part of UCSF’s “Integration Plan” includes moving Children’s Hospital employees to a UCSF zero-cost healthcare plan, while taking on an increased pension. What does that mean for you and fellow union members? We’ve estimated that on average workers are going to lose $10,000 per year.…what’s missing in how UCSF is talking about [the pension] is that you have to consider that a pension is something that has a time dimension. So to take money out of my pocket now favors the employer because will I be here in 5 years? Will anybody be here in 10 years? Whereas healthcare, this is a day-to-day thing. It’s maximally beneficial to our workers to be able to keep some of that money in our pocket against paying it over healthcare.

Allison, X-ray Technologist at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital (right)
Tara, Registered Nurse at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital (left)

What does winning look like to you?
Allison: If we really win, it would be no UCSF, it would be Children’s Hospital, Oakland like it has been for a hundred years.
Tara: Children’s Hospital, Oakland. No changes…It’s not safe for our patients anymore. If they bust our unions, they’re not going to pay us what we’re getting paid now.