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Red Cross walkout targets staffing

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Times Staff Writer

When about 270 nurses and medical technicians who collect blood in Southern California for the Red Cross walked off the job at midday Monday, the resulting strike was bloodless in more ways than one.

There were no threats or angry rhetoric by the workers’ union, Local 721 of the Service Employees International Union, against Red Cross management, or vice versa. Most of the talk was about the humanitarian work of the Red Cross.

And there was no promise to bring blood collecting to a halt. The union promised to end the strike by Friday.

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There wasn’t even any grumbling about low wages or poor health benefits or retirement cuts -- the marrow of every work stoppage in America. The Red Cross’ offer of annual 3.5% wage increases over the next three years is fine, the striking blood collectors said.

And although the strike reflected differences between labor and management over how to staff blood collection sites from Ventura County to the Mexican border, Red Cross officials and union leaders offered the public basically the same message about the work stoppage: This will hurt only a little bit.

“The strike will affect our collections for the next couple of days, but working with blood from facilities across the country, we will maintain a good, safe blood supply,” said Red Cross Blood Services public affairs manager Teresa Solorio, who praised the union for its “very upbeat” attitude and attempts to reach a contract agreement.

Both sides urged the public to continue to give blood during the strike. The Red Cross released a phone number and a website to inform people where they could donate: (800) GIVELIFE and www.givelife.org.

For its part, the union distributed lists of local hospitals and non-Red Cross blood banks where people can give blood. Because the nonprofit Red Cross raises revenue by selling blood to hospitals, direct donations could hurt the Red Cross financially without reducing the blood supply, union officials said.

The strike had an effect on at least five of 13 Red Cross blood collection facilities. The union said that Red Cross facilities in Arcadia, Santa Ana and Santa Monica had been forced to close and that blood collection had been stopped in Pomona and Fullerton. The Red Cross said it had consolidated services but gave no details of closures.

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“We want to make sure they get the point, but it’s important that the blood supply not be hurt,” said Ralph Tracy, 42, a Red Cross technician, as he picketed the regional headquarters in Pomona. “The public loves the Red Cross, and we need to make sure that we protect the image of the Red Cross as a great humanitarian organization.”

So why is the union striking? At root, the dispute is over how to safely get more blood out of the public.

Both labor and management identified the same problem Monday. When it comes to giving blood, Southern Californians are among the nation’s least generous donors. Only 3% of those eligible donate here, compared with 5% nationwide. As a result, Southern California imports 40% of the blood it needs.

Staffing levels at blood donor centers vary depending on the type of collection. But the union’s complaint boils down to this: Nurses and medical technicians in recent years have been forced to draw more blood from more donors and monitor more blood machines, without a commensurate increase in staffing levels.

Such under-staffing, the union said, has hurt donors and Red Cross staffers. The union says donors are waiting longer to give blood, a trend that discourages giving. In addition, the Red Cross often assigns only one registered nurse to oversee each blood drive. The union has demanded that there be two nurses on hand for donor safety and so the nurses can take breaks.

With longer hours and more unpredictable schedules, blood collectors often have to travel considerable distances each day. On a picket line, medical technician Joe Hinojosa recalled a 180-mile round-trip drive to a blood collection at a high school in the high desert town of Mojave.

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Union members said they voted to strike because the Red Cross refused to address such issues in contract talks.

“We want management to take a hard look at our working conditions,” said Lorena Ornelas, 36, a nurse in Pomona who is president of the union chapter representing Red Cross workers.

Red Cross spokeswoman Solorio said the organization had made proposals on such issues, but she declined to discuss specifics. The Red Cross is complying with state law that requires one nurse at a blood drive, she said, adding that the dispute with the union was about administrative responsibilities.

“It has nothing to do with donor safety,” she said.

The strike was not unprecedented. The union held a strike 10 years ago. It was a bitter, more conventional seven-week walkout that saw union members lose benefits and hours.

Despite this week’s walkout, both sides expressed optimism that they will return to the negotiating table and amicably settle their differences.

joe.mathews@latimes.com

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