Barton Health nurses vote for one-day strike if necessary

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The nurses at Barton Hospital in South Lake Tahoe who voted to organize in November 2017 have voted to strike for one day if necessary should their union and management fail to come to an agreement on issues that concern them at the bargaining table.

"Progress has stalled out," said Barton nurse Beth Dameral. "We haven't heard back on the healthcare issue."

The California Nurses Association (CNA) and Barton management have been meeting since March of 2018 to create an agreement between the two, but Dameral says their healthcare plan issues remain unaddressed.

On December 4, 2018, dozens of current and former nurses picketed along Lake Tahoe Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe to make the community more aware of their concerns.

"Barton is stalling on some key points that are critical to any contract," said Dameral at the time.

"We’re aware the nurses voted to give the union representatives the right to call a strike. We are in active negotiations with the union and have been meeting regularly since March of 2018, including just yesterday. We’re also planning future bargaining dates in February. We’ve made progress but have yet to discuss wages and benefits, so we’re surprised that the union would encourage the nurses to take a strike vote at this early stage," said Mindi Befu, Director of Marketing, Public Relations & Patient Experience for Barton Health.

In the vote on Wednesday, 98 percent of the nurses who voted supported a strike should one be called by union organizers.

There are 205 registered nurses employed full time, part time and per diem at Barton, with 171 of them being bargaining unit members.

"The results of the vote show the overwhelming support of the Barton RN’s to strike if necessary," said Dameral. "The strong response is a display of the nurses' solidarity and strength and is a reflection of their frustration with delay tactics by management in terms of negotiating our contract."

Dameral said a strike isn't what any really want, they voted iin order to stimulate bargaining talks.

"We don't want to strike, we want to get back to the table," said Dameral. She, along with emergency room nurse Ronnie Navarro, told South Tahoe Now they have met twice in January and have more scheduled in the near future but they have stalled and aren't addressing the issues they feel need to be taken care of.

Besides a "fair and equitable health care plan," nurses also want a 'Closed Shop' where all Barton nurses join the union. An "Open Shop" is one where union membership is a choice, something most hospitals prefer.

The two sides have met over two dozen times since March and have reached 26 tentative agreements.

"Barton Health will continue to meet with the union’s bargaining team in good faith with the goal of reaching a fair contract for our nurses," said Befu. "If a strike is called, Barton will be prepared and patient care will not be compromised. At the end of the day we’re a community hospital and our obligation is to the Lake Tahoe community."

If the nurses voted for a one-day strike, Barton could bring in nurses through an outside contractor and block the striking nurses from returning for up to four days.

Barton nurses included in the bargaining unit and represented by CNA include inpatient nurses at Barton Memorial Hospital and Lake Tahoe Surgery Center. Outpatient nurses at Barton Health locations are not represented by CNA or a part of this contract negotiation.

Specific units include: Emergency Department, Inpatient: Medical/Surgical and Orthopedic, Intensive Care Unit, Infusion Center, Labor & Delivery, Surgery, Post Anesthesia Care Unit, Cardio-vascular, Hospitalists, Special Procedures (eg. Imaging), Gastrointestinal Lab, Case Management, Wound Care, Float Pool, Skilled Nursing Facility.