As firefighters and police officers are not permitted to strike against the public welfare, so health care workers should also not be permitted to strike. One can imagine the ensuing chaos and destruction that would occur if police and firefighters went on strike. One can also imagine how patients in hospitals and other health care facilities would suffer if their care givers decided en masse not to show up for work.
Yet, about 20,000 health care workers at ten University of California hospitals are planning to walk off their jobs. They are members of Local 3299 of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees union. They plan on striking for two days in an effort to increase their wages and benefits. Just imagine what may happen to patients during those two days!
The University of California has correctly asked the state’s Labor Board to issue a temporary restraining order against the union.
It is remarkable that health care workers would place a higher value on wages and benefits than on human life. One wonders if such people should even be employed by health care facilities.
