Strike at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland: A Battle for Workers' Rights and Patient Care

HEY LISTEN UP, FOLKS! The healthcare world is on fire right now, and it's not just because of the latest medical breakthroughs. No, no, no! We're talking about a full-blown strike at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. The National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) and their colleagues represented by other unions have taken to the streets, demanding that UCSF Health abandon its plan to cancel their union contracts and slash their take-home pay. This is a fight for workers' rights, and it's a fight for the future of patient care in the East Bay.

LET ME TELL YOU WHY THIS MATTERS! The integration plan proposed by UCSF Health is a game-changer, and not in a good way. The plan, which would go into effect on July 6, 2025, would see all Benioff Oakland staff transition to University of California employment. Sounds great, right? Wrong! The catch is that this transition would leave workers with significantly less take-home pay, as they would be required to pay thousands of dollars more toward their health and retirement benefits. We're talking about an average loss of $10,000 in take-home pay for NUHW members alone. That's a massive hit to their wallets and their ability to provide for their families.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL, FOLKS! The strike, which began on June 18, 2025, has already led to the closure of clinics in Walnut Creek, San Ramon, and Brentwood, as well as the cancellation of all elective surgeries and non-urgent orthopedic appointments. This disruption in services could have a lasting impact on the hospital's ability to provide care to patients in the East Bay. Long-tenured caregivers are already considering leaving or retiring rather than starting over as UCSF employees with less take-home pay, no seniority, and the potential to be assigned to work in San Francisco. This could lead to a shortage of experienced caregivers, which would negatively impact the quality of care provided to patients.

SO, WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THE UNION CONTRACTS? The key differences between the current union contracts at Children’s Hospital Oakland and the UC unions that employees would be transferred into primarily revolve around health and retirement benefits. Most employees at Children’s Hospital Oakland would be transferred into UC unions whose contracts require workers to pay thousands of dollars more toward their health and retirement benefits. This increased cost directly reduces the take-home pay of the employees. Dozens of workers whose jobs are not represented by UC unions would lose union representation altogether, becoming at-will employees. This loss of union representation means these workers would no longer have the protections and benefits that come with being part of a union, further exacerbating the financial impact on their take-home pay and job security.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! The transition to UC unions is part of UCSF Health's "Integration Plan," which aims to unify the workforce and align clinical programs and workflows. However, the financial implications for the employees are substantial, as they would face increased costs for benefits and potential loss of union representation, leading to a significant reduction in their take-home pay. The transition threatens to further reduce services at the Oakland hospital as workers consider leaving or retiring rather than starting over as UCSF employees with less take-home pay, no seniority, and the potential of being assigned to work at a UCSF hospital in San Francisco.

SO, WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT? The NUHW has filed a grievance over the "integration plan" on grounds that it violates the prohibition against subcontracting in its union contracts. However, Children’s Hospital Oakland has refused to select an arbitrator, forcing NUHW to file a lawsuit seeking to compel arbitration. A federal judge is scheduled to hear the complaint on June 26. In an independently-conducted vote in April, 98 percent of NUHW members casting ballots stated their preference for remaining in their union. Workers who authorized the strike include NUHW-represented nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, housekeepers, clerical workers, and medical technicians whose contracts expired in April, but remain in effect. NUHW-represented professional workers at the hospital, who include mental health therapists, speech therapists and occupational therapists, are unable to authorize a strike because their contract doesn’t expire until September, but many will choose to individually honor the picket line.

THIS IS A BATTLE FOR WORKERS' RIGHTS AND PATIENT CARE! The strike at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland is a fight for the future of healthcare in the East Bay. The workers are standing up for their rights, and they're fighting for the patients they serve. This is a battle that we all need to pay attention to, because the outcome will have a lasting impact on the quality of care provided to patients in the East Bay. So, let's stand with the workers and demand that UCSF Health abandon its plan to cancel their union contracts and slash their take-home pay. This is a fight for workers' rights, and it's a fight for the future of patient care in the East Bay.