On Wednesday May 16, from 6 to 9 a.m., the registered nurses who work at Saint John’s Health Center (SJHC) in Santa Monica will conduct an informational picket to, in their words, “shine a spotlight on the regressive demands of their employer.” The RNs won the right to collective bargaining a year ago in an NLRB election. Since then, management has delayed negotiations repeatedly, and when they have come to the table they’ve proposed dramatic cuts in patient safety and RN pension and health benefits.

In April, RNs overwhelmingly voted 87% in favor of striking for safe patient care and RN retention, and hope that Wednesday’s informational picket will persuade management not to force RNs to strike.

The nurses’ informational picket will take place on Santa Monica Blvd between 23rd and 21st Streets, across the street from the hospital.

If it has its way, Saint John’s will become the only hospital in southern California that substitutes LVNs (licensed vocational nurses) for RNs in the state-mandated nurse/patient ratios. “LVNs perform important functions in many hospitals, but their license prevents them from performing the most critical aspects of nursing work – only RNs can do those things,” says long-time St. John’s RN Jack Cline. “Study after study has shown increased patient mortality when the number of RNs in the ratio is reduced. Why does Saint John’s want to go backward on this? We’re fighting for our patients on this issue.”

Saint John’s owner, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, is adopting the radical benefit-cutting methods of a smaller, Colorado-based hospital chain it swallowed in 2009, demanding a 40% reduction in the pensions of currently employed RNs, and a 60% cut for new hires. They propose to dramatically restrict the healthcare provider choices of RNs and their families while significantly raising the out of pocket costs of coverage. Saint John’s RNs receive between 20 and 30% below the average hourly wage paid at most other Los Angeles area hospitals (where most RNs are CNA-represented). One result: Saint John’s historically retains fewer RNs than other area hospitals. Over half the RNs at Saint John’s have been hired since 2006.

“Good young nurses work at Saint John’s for a few years, gain experience, and then move on to better paying jobs, leaving Saint John’s to hire a whole new class and start the training all over again,” says Lori Hammond, who has worked in Labor and Delivery at Saint John’s for 33 years.