Nurses Strike in Northern California

Nearly 5,000 nurses in 15 Northern California hospitals began a two-day walkout Wednesday to protest what they said were inadequate contract offerings.

Officials with the Sutter Health hospital chain said replacement workers are in place and that no disruptions in service were expected.

The nurses have been in negotiations since the spring with many of the not-for-profit hospitals in the San Francisco Bay area and the Sacramento area. The California Nurses Association union is protesting what it says are unacceptable proposals on health care and retirement benefits and staffing levels.

"They're nurses and they are here to make their point about patient care and patient safety and staffing," he said. "Obviously it's peaceful."

The nurses, represented by the California Nurses Association, have been negotiating for new contracts since April. The nurses say the main sticking points are reduced health benefits and inadequate staffing, but hospitals officials said the union wants more negotiating clout.

Linda Bawers, who will celebrate her 34th anniversary at Alta Bates in November, said she was most concerned about retiree health benefit cuts "I saved for my retirement," she said. "My finances aren't the issue but retiree health care is."

The hospitals hired temporary nurses through replacement companies and vowed that patient care would not be interrupted.