Striking workers at St. Francis Medical Center who have openly complained of understaffing and inadequate patient care were fired Wednesday, Dec. 20, just five days before Christmas.
The seven employees who were terminated at the Prime Healthcare-owned hospital in Lynwood include the entire five-member bargaining team with SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, which represents healthcare employees at the facility.
The other two are nurses represented by the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals.
The terminations by St. Francis management come amid a seven-day strike 1,800 SEIU workers launched Wednesday at four Prime Healthcare facilities — St. Francis in Lynwood, Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, Garden Grove Hospital Medical Center and Encino Hospital Medical Center.
In an email sent Thursday, Dec. 21, St. Francis spokeswoman Linda Woo said the terminations were based on “a violation of our standards of conduct policy.” She declined to elaborate, saying the hospital was unable to comment on confidential personnel matters.
Mayra Castaneda, an ultrasound tech at St. Francis, is the among the employees who were terminated. She alleges the firings are management’s retaliation for a Nov. 30 rally employees held at Prime’s Ontario headquarters.
Workers picketed the facility that day and also delivered letters of support from more than 10 elected officials, including Janice Hahn, chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
“An employee let us into the building, and we were told to wait in the lobby,” Castaneda said. “They said someone would be out to meet us. Then five security guards came out and told us we had to leave.”
As they were being escorted to the sidewalk, a woman came out of the building and took the letters inside. Castaneda said workers were told they’d been trespassing.
“This was clearly a form of intimidation and retaliation,” the 43-year-old Southgate resident said. “I’m angry and frustrated, but I feel I’ll get my job back because this was clearly a violation of labor law.”
Nurses, medical assistants, ER techs and others held another strike at the four facilities in October over the same issues.
Supervisor Hahn expressed dismay over the staffing issues at Prime hospitals and management’s response to employees who complained.
“Instead of addressing the critical issue of understaffing, Prime Healthcare has chosen to silence those advocating for positive change,” Hahn said in a statement. “I join those demanding the reinstatement of these frontline workers and a commitment from Prime Healthcare to prioritize the safety and well-being of patients and staff.”
Sonia Rodriguez, another ultrasound tech at St. Francis, said the firings have empowered workers to stay the course with their walkout.
“I’m confident I’ll get my job back,” she said.
The strike at the four Prime Healthcare hospitals will run through Friday this week, break for the Christmas holiday and resume Tuesday, Dec. 26 through the end of next week.
Prime said its hospitals will remain open during the strike, staffed by temporary employees throughout nursing and non-nursing departments.
Company spokeswoman Elizabeth Nikels recently said Prime is addressing the staffing issue through “extensive resources and nationwide strategies” to fast-track hiring and retention of workers.
