MEDIA ADVISORY FOR:
May 7, 2025

HAYWARD, Calif. – Healthcare workers from thirteen Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center clinics will protest on Wednesday, May 7 at 11 a.m. at Mission Health Center to call attention to severe staffing shortages that they say are compromising patient care. Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center clinics are Federally Qualified Health Centers which serve low-income patients, many of whom speak limited English or lack health insurance. Workers report being under pressure to rush through appointments due to short staffing, raising concerns about care quality for vulnerable residents.

Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center has a history of pay discrimination and low wages, which workers say continues to drive the staffing crisis in their clinics. In addition to the low wages in one of the most expensive housing markets in the country, high turnover and worker burnout are making it increasingly difficult to attract and retain the staff needed to care for patients in need.

Workers are calling on management to listen to front-line workers, increase staffing levels, and address turnover by investing in their workforce. This includes various job roles at Tiburcio Vasquez such as Medical Assistants, Dental Assistants, Nutrition Assistants, Receptionists, Community Health Workers, Appointment Clerks, Nurses, and other Healthcare Providers.

Media Contact:
Renée Saldaña
[email protected]

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SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) is a healthcare justice union of more than 120,000 healthcare workers, patients, and healthcare activists united to ensure affordable, accessible, high-quality care for all Californians, provided by valued and respected healthcare workers.