Nurses' Strike Ends at Children's Hospital

700 nurses protested changes to their health care.

Children's Hospital Oakland registered nurses have agreed to return to work after a five-day strike over
 proposed changes to their health benefits.

Nurses are expected to be back on the job at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

The San Francisco Chronicle says hospital management and representatives of the California Nurses Association-National Nurses United agreed that the walkout went smoothly.

The hospital operated at near normal capacity during the walkout, relying on non-union Children's Hospital nurses and about 125 replacement nurses.

The 700 union nurses have been negotiating for more than a year for a new contract. The current one expired in July.

Union nurses protested again proposed health benefits cuts that would require them to contribute more to their benefits or pay a higher deductible.

The hospital contends it lost $17.9 million in 2009.
 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us