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USC Verdugo hospital workers say negotiations stalled; vote to authorize strike underway
Summary
Hospital staff at USC Verdugo Hills told the Glendale City Council they have authorized a strike vote after more than a year without a first contract, citing chronic understaffing, heavy overtime and wages below nearby hospitals.
Workers at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital told the Glendale City Council during public comment on April 15 that contract negotiations with hospital management remain stalled and that employees have voted to authorize a strike.
Union representatives from the National Union of Healthcare Workers and several hospital staff described understaffing, repeated mandatory overtime and pay that lags nearby hospitals. “We voted to unionize in February 2024,” said a union organizer, noting the group is still without a first contract a year later. A CT technologist said her department has been forced to cover double shifts and that there is limited transportation support for patients; another worker who specializes in breast imaging said high-volume caseloads and turnover have made it hard to provide the time patients need.
Speakers urged the council to meet with workers, return communications and put pressure on hospital leadership. The union said USC reduced a previously discussed wage offer and that the bargaining conduct was “regressive” — a claim the union said justified an authorization-to-strike vote. Several commenters urged councilmembers to contact USC leadership and to join potential picket lines if a strike is called.
Councilmembers took the comments under advisement and asked staff to make facilitations available if informal meetings could be arranged. Councilmembers did not take action on the bargaining dispute during the meeting; public comment is not a council directive.
Workers asked for three specific forms of support: (1) that council representatives meet directly with bargaining committee members, (2) that the council communicate with USC leadership urging good-faith bargaining and (3) that local elected officials visit the picket line if a strike is scheduled.
Council staff noted the council’s limited jurisdiction over private employers but expressed sympathy for workers and said they would relay requests to appropriate officials and provide available contacts. Workers said they would continue bargaining and that they will notify the public and the council of planned actions.
