LYNWOOD, Calif. — Holding placards and wearing shirts demanding the reinstatement of nine fired workers, a spirited rally of 200 people was held across the street from St. Francis Medical Center here Feb. 10.
Scott Byington, who has worked as a nurse at St. Francis for 28 years, was one of those fired. He told the Militant that after negotiations with hospital management on a new contract were stalled, he was part of a Nov. 30 delegation that went to the headquarters of the hospital’s owner, Prime Healthcare in Ontario, California. “We went to deliver a folder with letters of support we have received from politicians and others requesting a meeting with the officers of Prime, and information on the big staffing shortages at the hospital,” he said.
The delegation included members of the United Nurses Association of California/Union of Health Care Professionals and of Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West. A few days later, he said, they were called into Human Resources at St. Francis and told they faced disciplinary action, accused of “trespassing, and using profanity.” They were fired Dec. 20.
“We went to Ontario to advocate for adequate staffing levels,” said Sonia Rodriguez, an ultrasound technician who also was fired. “Our protest fell on deaf ears. The nurses settled their contract, but members of SEIU are still bargaining on staffing levels.”
Prime — which says it is the fifth largest private health care corporation in the country — owns 44 hospitals. The company took over St. Francis in 2020. Prime claims it has a history of turning around for-profit hospitals that are “financially distressed.”
Workers told the Militant the company boosts profits by short staffing and holding down wages. “I came to support the fired workers,” said Aileen Marshall, a nurse at a Prime-owned hospital in Garden Grove. “They let so many workers at St. Francis go. They don’t want to pay the top rates.”
Yvonne Wheeler, head of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, a few local politicians and several fired workers spoke. Wheeler said the fight will continue until all nine are reinstated.
Byington told the rally that he is still president of the nurses local at St. Francis. “Their day is coming,” he said.