Workers have described conditions for workers and patients as unsatisfactory. Being stretched so thin forces hospital employees to do more with less, which means they have less time to spend with patients. The staffing crisis is exacerbated by the fact that compensation has fallen far below other employers while health insurance premiums have spiked.
“How can I safely care for 32 patients? It’s humanly impossible,” said Aretha Martins, a certified nursing assistant (CNA) in Sequoia’s cardiac surveillance unit. “I went to the bathroom a few times to cry but had to swallow it and return because there was so much to be done. It’s horrible. We need safe staffing ratios now.”
These essential workers are represented by AFSCME Local 829 (Council 57) and have been in contract negotiations for months. Management has proposed a meager 3% wage increase, unaffordable health insurance, and refuses to adhere to a safe staffing ratios of eight patients per CNA.
“We are going to remain on strike until we can deliver the high-quality care San Mateo County deserves through high-quality jobs we can be proud of,” said Yvonne Haynes, a CNA in the medical/surgical/orthopedic unit.
“We are disappointed and saddened that they are treating us this way,” she added. “We work at this hospital because we love our work, care for our patients, and are committed to this community. We have put our lives on the line throughout COVID, and many people left. But we stayed.”
