Nurses picketed Petaluma Valley Hospital on July 16 to inform locals that a contract violation by hospital management was costing them thousands of dollars — and soon risked robbing the community of experienced nurses.
“We’re out here because something is wrong in there,” Jackie Bedell, a registered nurse at Petaluma Valley Hospital for over 23 years, told the Petaluma Argus Courier and Santa Rosa Press Democrat as she gestured toward the hospital from the picket line.
The hospital is violating Article 22 of the nurses’ collective bargaining agreement, which restricts management’s ability to place registered nurses on Temporary Work Reduction. Article 22 allows the hospital to place an individual nurse on temporary work reductions no more than 14 times a year and 24 hours a month. However, hospital leadership has begun to disregard these provisions.
“I’ve lost $7,000 in wages since March due to excessive (temporary work reductions),” said RN Catherine Armstrong. “Providence Health and Petaluma Valley Hospital management’s actions are in direct violation of our contract, illustrating a blatant disregard for the nurses who dedicate their lives to patient care.”
Nurses secured strong contractual language that limits Petaluma Valley’s ability to reduce work when the hospital census dips to retain its nurses and maintain safe staffing levels at all times. In March, the hospital began violating the contractual requirement, and it is now seeking to eliminate all restrictions on Temporary Work Reductions in negotiations for a new contract, which also began in March.
The abrupt change has forced some nurses to deplete their paid time off balances to compensate for lost wages. This not only undermines their financial stability but also affects their ability to take sick leave or vacation time.
Many nurses are now faced with the difficult decision of whether to remain at Petaluma Valley Hospital.
“I would hate to leave, but I’ve been interviewing elsewhere and have received several job offers,” said RN Aldena Garrett. “Other local hospitals have weaker (temporary work reductions) protections than we’ve had at Petaluma Valley, but at least they respect them.”
The potential loss of experienced nurses raises concerns about staff shortages and the overall quality of patient care.
“It’s disheartening to see some of our most skilled RNs considering leaving,” said Catherine Armstrong. “The loss of these nurses could lead to an imbalance in skill levels among the remaining staff, putting patient safety at risk.”
In response to Petaluma Valley Hospital’s elimination of temporary work reductions protections, the Petaluma Staff Nurse Partnership, which represents the nearly 150 RNs at the hospital and is affiliated with NUHW, sent a cease-and-desist letter to the hospital, which the hospital ignored, and filed a grievance that is currently being scheduled for arbitration.
Additionally, the union filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, citing management’s failure to provide adequate notice of contract changes and a meaningful opportunity to negotiate.
The next step, Bedell told the paper, is preparing for a lengthy arbitration hearing that very well may last over a year.
“The legal route takes forever, and nurses don’t have forever to hang on,” she said.
