A nurses union rep at USC-VHH says 85% of those who voted support the move.

Nurses at USC-Verdugo Hills Hospital took action in the face of contract negotiations that have dragged on since last Mayby taking a strike vote Thursday and Friday, and 85% of the nurses who voted supported a strike, according to the nurses union representative.

However, Dinorah Williams, the union rep from the California Nurses Assn., said she would not give details about how many nurses voted.

“It was a very large number of nurses,” she said. We’re really happy with the outcome.”

The vote authorizes the union to take further action, including rallies, picketing and, possibly, a strike, Williams said.

“We wouldn’t consider it authorized unless an overwhelming majority of (nurses) said ‘yes,’” she added.

The hospital’s RN Council will meet next week to decide what will happen next, Williams said.

“We’re looking forward to getting back to the [negotiating] table with management,” she said, adding that the next meeting will be on Friday.

She said the nurses want to see a “real investment” in Vedugo Hills Hospital by USC to deal with what they say are unsafe conditions. USC purchased the community hospital in July 2013.

Union reps decided it was necessary to act after a March 24 meeting of CNA representatives, USC officials, human resource directors and the hospital’s chief nursing officer was continued until April 3, which union representatives thought was too long.

USC-Verdugo Hills Hospital Interim CEO Paul Craig asserted in a statement issued Thursday night that administrators had made “significant progress” in recent talks with union representatives and reached tentative agreements on 24 of the 35 items presented for consideration.

“Unfortunately, despite our progress and continuing negotiations this week … the union has chosen to call for a strike vote,” Craig stated. “This is regrettable and an action that would cause nurses to walk away from their care-giving roles, which could unnecessarily disrupt patient care at the hospital.”

But union reps claim patient care has already been disrupted by a “mass exodus” of regular nurses who, dissatisfied with poor working conditions, left numerous staffing holes that USC-Verdugo Hills Hospital filled with less experienced, temporary staff from outside agencies.

The agency nurses’ unfamiliarity with hospital policies and procedures have already caused problems, says Erica Beltran, a night-shift nurse in the hospital’s medical/surgical unit.

“We advocate for our patients. We are the voice they cannot communicate, and we’re saying it isn’t safe,” Beltran said. “We don’t just say it because we’re in the union and we’re negotiating for higher wages. Patients are unsafe.”

Meanwhile, Craig said administrators are hopeful common ground can still be reached.

“We intend to continue the process of negotiations and hope to reach a reasonable and mutually satisfactory contract result,” Craig stated.

Original article: http://www.lacanadaonline.com/news/tsn-vsl-nurses-fall-in-line-on-possible-strike-at-usc-verdugo-hills-hospital-20150328,0,3055773.story