Nurses picketed outside Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo and Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton on Tuesday.
The nurses are demanding better working conditions, saying emergency rooms are overflowing with patients. To keep up with demand, they say they often miss their breaks and get burnt out.
The California Nurses Association is currently bargaining with Tenet Healthcare, the corporation that owns Sierra Vista and Twin Cities.
Union representatives are specifically asking for better pay, better staffing ratios and more resources to take care of patients.
In response to the picket, Tenet told KSBY News, “We are disappointed that the union is taking this approach as it is not constructive or necessary. We have made good progress toward a new contract with the union and will continue to negotiate in good faith in hopes of reaching a successful resolution, without the need to disrupt our patients or staff in their mission.”
The two hospitals remained operational during the picket.
