Thousands of Santa Clara County Nurses From Registered Nurses Professional Association Walk Off the Job in 3-Day Strike

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Santa Clara County nurses from the Registered Nurses Professional Association here have been out on the picket lines since 4:59 a.m. Tuesday morning.þþWhile they are looking for a raise, they're also fighting for better workplace conditions and staffing during their scheduled three-day strike.þþÿWe want to be in there but we're desperate, the county's not working with us,ÿ registered nurse Jennifer Hughes said.þþRNPA nurses are holding the first strike in the union's history.þþSome tentative agreements have been made with Santa Clara County on key terms including workplace safety, but a sticking point is money.þþThe union is asking for a 15% wage increase through October 2025.þþIt rejected the latest county proposal of 13%.þþÿIt wasn't because of the money, it was because of the working conditions and floating us to the other hospitals,ÿ RNPA Vice President Maybelline Que said.þþHughes, a psychiatric nurse with the county for 11 years, says along with better staffing she wants to see safety improvements like more security, alarms, and even metal detectors.þþÿWe just would like more staffing, more [Patient Safety Organizations], security to help keep us safe,ÿ Hughes said.þþAnd others want to limit floating positions, saying working at multiple facilities poses a safety risk.þþÿIt's not safe for one nurse to be moved to another hospital and give care in those units because what happens is, we don't know the policy for that floor, and we won't be able to provide the care that we need to,ÿ Que said. ÿAlso, in an emergency, we're in an unfamiliar environment, we don't know where all the supplies are.ÿþþSanta Clara County says the three-day strike may impact primary care and clinics, resulting in postponements.þþÿWe remain open for the community because we know the services provided through the county health system are life-saving essential services and we are prioritizing ensuring that those life-saving essential services remain fully-available,ÿ Santa Clara Co. Executive James Williams said.