For Immediate Release

January 25, 2021

Contact:

Renée Saldaña

Oakland, Calif. – Healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente Modesto Medical Center will protest Kaiser’s plan to pay profit-seeking companies to bring in outside nurses unfamiliar with the hospital, a move that would undercut experienced nurses and support staff who have been caring for patients in their community throughout the pandemic. Frontline caregivers are also calling on Kaiser to work with them to embrace a transparent partnership to improve employee vaccination.

“Kaiser isn’t listening to us, the frontline workers who know our facility and patients. Instead of bringing in nurses from other locations, they should be incentivizing and providing additional hours to those that are already embedded in our communities,” said Adriana Rugeles, emergency room LVN at Kaiser Permanente Modesto Medical Center. “That’s why we’re asking for Kaiser to invest in the high-quality, personal care that our patients deserve.”

Workers at Kaiser Modesto are also concerned about safety during the COVID-19 pandemic and are calling on Kaiser to work with them to embrace a transparent partnership to improve employee vaccination, as failure to do so puts patients and workers at risk.

WHAT: Picket by healthcare workers outside Kaiser Permanente Modesto Medical Center over inadequate staffing and to improve employee vaccination.

WHEN: Tuesday, January 26, 12 p.m. noon

WHERE: Modesto Medical Center, 4601 Dale Rd, Modesto

# # # # # # #

SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) is one of the largest unions of hospital workers in the United States, with 97,000 members. Learn more at www.seiu-uhw.org.