Nurses To Strike For Second Day Outside Hospitals In LA

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Thousands of nurses Friday are expected to strike for the second day in a row for higher staffing levels and safer conditions for patients.

Participants are scheduled to protest at 8 a.m. outside Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance and Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica. Additional picketing is also planned outside Kaiser Permanente's Los Angeles Medical Center on Sunset Boulevard.

On Thursday, about 500 nurses protested at the Kaiser hospital.

"Management demands for cuts in health coverage for RNs and their families are also a major focus for nurses ... especially RNs who work for the Sutter Health chain," explained a union representative from the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United.

A written statement provided by the union reads in part: "The nurses are calling on hospitals to stop endangering patients by implementing safe staffing levels and taking steps to retain experienced RNs. They are also demanding policies that give RNs a stronger voice in patient care delivery."

According to Kaiser, the walkout was organized by the California Nurses Association, which does not represent their staff, however, is one of three unions that is vying to.

Officials at Providence hospitals explained they have plans in place to ensure there would not be any disruptions in patient care.

Pickets were also scheduled at five Sutter Corp. hospitals in Auburn, Burlingame, Roseville, Santa Rosa and Tracy, which are all located in Northern California.

The walkout is part of a nationwide effort that involves more than 6,400 nurses from around the country.

(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)