March was a big month for NUHW members at two Bay Area nursing homes, where workers parlayed their readiness to strike into strong contract wins.
SAN FRANCISCO POST ACUTE
The 46 NUHW members at the San Francisco Post Acute were less than 24 hours from beginning a two-day strike when they secured a contract they were happy to ratify.
The agreement includes an immediate 10 percent wage increase. Overall, wages will increase between 20 and 24 percent during the three-year contract.
Nursing assistants, restorative nursing assistants, cooks, dietary aides, and housekeepers also secured a wage scale for all classifications, along with retro pay dating back to November 2025, when their previous contract ended.
“Everyone is very happy,” said Luz David, a nursing assistant, who has worked at the 168-bed skilled nursing center for the past 23 years. “We were asking for better wages because our wages were not enough.”
Additionally, the workers:
- Blocked management’s attempt to eliminate the extra pay for the PM shift
- Secured sick leave increases of up to 80 hours
- Added an extra floating holiday
- Gained three days of paid bereavement leave for full-time employees
- Achieved subcontracting protections
David said the strike threat impacted negotiations, especially after workers displayed strike signs for cameras during negotiations on Zoom. The employer’s attorney called it “bullshit,” but David said that only galvanized the workers to push for a good contract.
“They thought we’d be intimidated or afraid to strike,” David said. “They realized that the harder they pushed, the harder we would push back.”
NOVATO HEALTHCARE CENTER
Workers at Novato Healthcare Center were also willing to strike to prevent Brius, the facility’s owner, from imposing a rotating schedule that would force many workers who had weekday shifts to start working weekends.
Workers, who were already upset by management’s unfair assignment of extra shifts, organized a petition and ultimately approved a strike vote. In response, management indefinitely postponed the work schedule change after initially delaying it for a month — and got serious about reaching a deal on extra shifts that would be added to the existing contract.
The agreement prevents favoritism and ensures NUHW members get first dibs on extra days, double shifts, and overtime before hiring outside workers, promoting equal earning opportunities based on seniority. It also protects workers’ schedules, avoiding disruptions to childcare and other jobs.
“We just want to be treated fairly and be able to make sure that our patients get the best possible care,” said Registered Nursing Assistant Jesus “David” Munoz. “This agreement accomplishes that, and it’s a testament to our resolve and our willingness to fight for our rights.”
