Nearly 13,000 nurses at hospitals across California intend to strike next month if their staffing concerns aren't addressed at the contract bargaining table.
National Nurses United bargaining director Jill Furillo said the one-day strike on June 10 would involve nurses from all University of California hospitals, Citrus Valley Medical Center in Covina, San Pedro Hospital and Olympia Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Union officials said that there isn't enough staff to treat patients, requiring more attention from nurses.
California law mandates hospitals to maintain specific staffing levels in different areas of the hospital. For example one nurse must be present for every two critically ill patients.
About a dozen nurses and staffers attended a media event Friday outside the UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest, including Geri Jenkins, a registered nurse who is the co-president of the California Nurses Association.
"We're calling for a one-day strike to highlight the issue of dangerous, unsafe staffing throughout the UC system," Jenkins said. "We've gone through the whole process of trying to negotiate with them over these issues."
Calls to the UC weren't immediately returned.
