Three California Hospitals Face Picket Lines

June 16, 2006
So. California hospitals were target of workers' union events; no security disturbances reported

Three Southern California hospitals faced picket lines on Wednesday as dozens of hospital workers took their lunch breaks to picket over contract, pensions, wages, staffing guidelines and more. According to the workers' union, the staffing levels were the chief concern.

The "lunch break" pickets affected the facilities of Riverside Community Hospital (Riverside, Calif.), West Hills Hospital and Medical Center (West Hills, Calif.) and Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center (Thousand Oaks, Calif.). At the Riverside facility, the picket was reportedly attended by 80 picketers and no security issues were reported. The other sites reportedly also had peaceful demonstrations not warranting a security response.

The hospitals are operated by HCA, out of Nashville, Tenn.