Strike by County Nurses, Doctors
People who condemn the county’s nurses for their recent strike are looking at the problem through the wrong end of the microscope.
The danger to Los Angeles County’s health delivery system does not come from a nurses’ strike, but from a Board of Supervisors that has no concern for the welfare of the community.
A major concern the nurses have is the increased workload caused by the closing of seven trauma centers in recent months, as well as the patient overload caused by private hospitals dumping cases on the county system. Both conditions are the direct result of the county’s refusal to provided resources needed to deliver health services.
The nurses, in their concern, have taken an action which they hope will force the county to address the health needs. In so doing, they suffered personal financial loss, placed themselves in jeopardy and made a Herculean effort in the public interest.
LOUIE DURAN
Service Employees International Union
Local 660
Los Angeles
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