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Nurses To Strike At 3 Hospitals Throughout Southern California

RIVERSIDE (AP) — Hundreds of nurses plan to strike hospitals in Southern California over the Christmas holiday to protest stalled contract talks.

About 1,600 registered nurses say they'll strike three medical centers for five days beginning next Thursday.

The facilities are West Hills Hospital and Medical Center in the San Fernando Valley; Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks and Riverside Community Hospital.

Riverside Community spokeswoman Cherie Russell tells the Riverside Press-Enterprise that the hospitals will hire nurses from outside services to work during the strike.

The hospitals are owned by a Nashville-based company called HCA Inc. The nurses are represented by a union. Federally mediated talks broke off Saturday.

The nurses say the dispute centers on working conditions.

(© Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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