FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 12, 2025

CULVER CITY, Calif. – On Monday night, the Culver City Council passed a resolution affirming the City’s commitment to protecting frontline healthcare workers’ jobs and quality patient care at Southern California Hospital at Culver City (SCHCC). The resolution comes amid ongoing bankruptcy proceedings by the hospital’s corporate owner, raising concerns about the future of hundreds of frontline healthcare workers and the community’s only hospital.

“Bankruptcy proceedings can be unpredictable, and workers shouldn’t be left in limbo about their patients, jobs, benefits, and the future of their hospital,” said LaRhonda Smith, a healthcare worker at Southern California Hospital at Culver City. “This resolution tells the community and hospital executives that Culver City stands with its healthcare workers.”

The urgency of the measure is heightened by lessons from nearby communities. In Lynwood, when Prime Healthcare purchased St. Francis, according to the terms set by the Attorney General, they committed to hiring a “majority” of workers. With “majority” undefined in the contract, 300 workers were still laid off. Because St. Francis was acquired from a bankruptcy, Prime was permitted to renegotiate the contract, which occurred. Workers at Southern California Hospital at Culver City fear similar scenarios if the facility changes ownership.

The resolution that passed Monday night signals Culver City’s commitment to maintaining stable healthcare services and good jobs for its residents. By taking a public stand during the hospital’s bankruptcy proceedings, city leaders aim to safeguard both the livelihoods of workers and the quality of care available at the community’s only hospital.

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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. Learn more at www.seiu-uhw.org