UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital workers striking Wednesday over pay

OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) — UCSF Health workers are striking Wednesday in the East Bay over a contract dispute. Union members are crying foul over their contracts being canceled by UCSF. They claim it will cost them about $10,000 in take-home pay.

Multiple unions representing about 2,500 employees of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital locations in Oakland are launching Wednesday’s strike. Right now, they work for the hospital and its clinics, but they will become UCSF employees in July. The union says they’re already losing some long-time members over the transition.

The National Union of Healthcare Workers represents 1,300 members. Most of them are not registered nurses. However, registered nurses will join the picket lines to support their colleagues.

In a statement to KRON4, UCSF said, “Claims that employees are being fired and rehired are simply false. Every employee is being mapped to a position in the appropriate unit at UCSF. Some take-home pay may change because today, many employees pay nothing toward their health insurance or retirement. Under UC employment, they will contribute—just as their colleagues across the UCSF system do—and in exchange, they will gain access to a far more valuable pension and comprehensive, long-term benefits.”