Sutter Health shut its doors early Friday at five Bay Area hospitals to registered nurses who tried to return to work after a two-day strike.
The nurses work at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center facilities in Berkeley and Oakland, Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, San Leandro Hospital and Sutter Solano Medical Center in Vallejo. The lockout is expected to continue for up to three days, union officials said.
Officials at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center countered in a prepared statement that Sutter had to sign a five-day contract with replacement nurses to fulfill hospital needs during the strike, so nurses who walked off the job will be called back as needed or welcomed back to work Monday.
The Sacramento-based health system is in contract negotiations with the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee at 13 Sutter hospitals, none in Sacramento. Frustrated by a lack of progress at the bargaining table, the union called a strike Wednesday and Thursday.
"For a corporation that pretends it respects and values RNs, the lockout sends a very different, shameful message of retaliation," Zenei Cortez, a nurse and member of the union council of presidents said in a prepared statement. "It's an insult not only to the nurses, but also to the patients who deserve access to their experienced, qualified RNs."
Sutter leaves contract negotiations to its local affiliates, so it is up to each hospital to decide how to handle strike situations and plans for replacement workers. Contracts with outside agencies differ with need, so some hospitals are bound to keep replacement workers longer than others.
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center has about 1,000 nurses; nearly half stayed on the job this week, hospital officials said in the prepared statement. Replacement nurses and staff filled the gaps Wednesday and Thursday.
The union was informed the week before the strike that any nurses who showed up for work on the first day of the action could work during the five-day replacement period, hospital officials said.
The union is also in contract talks with the Fremont-Rideout Health Group in Marysville and Yuba City, where workers were also locked out Friday, union representatives said.
credited by: http://bizjournals.com
2007-10-13
Few planes make for growing pains at Virgin
While expanding routes in recent weeks, startup airline Virgin America Inc. canceled flights due to an airplane shortage.
The Burlingame-based carrier said Friday it canceled "a limited number" of flights because of delays in receiving new Airbus A320s and A319s. The planes came later than expected because they had to be modified with Virgin America's computerized entertainment system embedded in each seatback.
The cancellations were most pronounced along Virgin America's transcontinental routes linking San Francisco and New York City and Washington, D.C.
Further cancellations are not expected, said spokeswoman Abby Lunardini.
"We've re-accommodated all of the guests impacted," she said. "We've made every effort to do this as seamlessly as possible for our guests and we appreciate their patience."
Virgin America has 11 planes in its fleet, which will expand to 31 planes a year from now.
After launching Aug. 8 with service between Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City, Virgin America added service to Washington D.C. Sept. 26 and Las Vegas Oct. 10. The carrier will begin flights between Los Angeles and Washington D.C. Oct. 24.
Service to San Diego and a number of other cities is expected in coming months. The carrier, part owned by British billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson, said it will serve as many as 10 cities by Aug. 2008.
credited by: bizjournals.com
The Burlingame-based carrier said Friday it canceled "a limited number" of flights because of delays in receiving new Airbus A320s and A319s. The planes came later than expected because they had to be modified with Virgin America's computerized entertainment system embedded in each seatback.
The cancellations were most pronounced along Virgin America's transcontinental routes linking San Francisco and New York City and Washington, D.C.
Further cancellations are not expected, said spokeswoman Abby Lunardini.
"We've re-accommodated all of the guests impacted," she said. "We've made every effort to do this as seamlessly as possible for our guests and we appreciate their patience."
Virgin America has 11 planes in its fleet, which will expand to 31 planes a year from now.
After launching Aug. 8 with service between Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City, Virgin America added service to Washington D.C. Sept. 26 and Las Vegas Oct. 10. The carrier will begin flights between Los Angeles and Washington D.C. Oct. 24.
Service to San Diego and a number of other cities is expected in coming months. The carrier, part owned by British billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson, said it will serve as many as 10 cities by Aug. 2008.
credited by: bizjournals.com
Medical tech firm to open Hawaii lab
A Mainland technology solutions firm specializing in health and wellness plans to establish a research and development lab in Hawaii.
San Diego, Calif.-based Medikeeper said Friday it closed on its recent round of funding with Honolulu-based venture capital firm Pacificap.
Medikeeper offers Web-based software centered on improving health and wellness through personal health records management. The company did not say when it planned to open the lab or how many people it would employ.
"Hawaii is an ideal setting for the early deployment of innovative health-care products," said Jeffrey Au, managing director for Pacificap, in a statement. "Pacificap believes that funding Medikeeper's R&D unit in Hawaii is an important step in leveraging Hawaii's competitive advantage and promoting economic diversification."
credited by : bizjournals.com
San Diego, Calif.-based Medikeeper said Friday it closed on its recent round of funding with Honolulu-based venture capital firm Pacificap.
Medikeeper offers Web-based software centered on improving health and wellness through personal health records management. The company did not say when it planned to open the lab or how many people it would employ.
"Hawaii is an ideal setting for the early deployment of innovative health-care products," said Jeffrey Au, managing director for Pacificap, in a statement. "Pacificap believes that funding Medikeeper's R&D unit in Hawaii is an important step in leveraging Hawaii's competitive advantage and promoting economic diversification."
credited by : bizjournals.com
Army Corps awards $134M in contracts
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Honolulu recently awarded military construction and civil works contracts worth $134.65 million. Among them were:
Drum Road Upgrade Phase 2, Helemano Military Reservation, to Kiewit Pacific Co. for $38,031,886.
Repair to Building 123, Fort Shafter, to Alutiiq-Mele LLC for $2,118,339.
Renovate Buildings 1543/1547, Fort Shafter, to Nan Inc. for $3,410,000.
Replace electrical panels Wing D, Tripler Army Medical Center, to Pioneer Contracting Co. for $259,980.
Improve HVAC System 1A, Tripler Army Medical Center, to Pioneer Contracting Co. for $72,519.
Replace ATS-L C1, C2 Circuits, Tripler Army Medical Center, to Pioneer Contracting Co. for $402,480.
Whole Barracks Renewal Phase 2F2, Schofield Barracks, to Nan Inc. dba Ocean House Builders for $18,373,600.
Whole Barracks Renewal Phase 2G, Schofield Barracks, to Nan Inc. dba Ocean House Builders for $37,683,700.
DCGS Intel Squad Ops, Hickam Air Force Base, to Watts Constructors LLC for $13,325,000.
Repair MP HQ Building 3010, Schofield Barracks, to Dawson-DBS JV for $3,173,180.
Repair/install grounding and mooring points, Wheeler Army Airfield, to Hawaii Pacific Concrete & Paving Inc. for $514,170.
Demo Buildings Area 2131, Schofield Barracks, to SNM Builders for $1,072,299.
Repair B405, Fort Shafter, to Pacific Tech Construction for $1,259,046.
Construct Administration Building, Schofield Barracks, Alutiiq-Mele LLC for $571,500.
Repair/expand rear parking lot, Fernandez Hall, Schofield Barracks, to Pacific Tech Construction for $1,800,147.
Renovate B441, Fort Shafter, to Alutiiq-Mele LLC for $798,859.
Repair windows/doors Hangars 111,114, Wheeler Army Airfield, to Nan Inc. for $2,626,100.
Renovate U.S. Army Pacific Conference Rooms Buildings 100/117, Fort Shafter, to Niking Corp. for $911,239.49.
credited by: bizjournals.com
Drum Road Upgrade Phase 2, Helemano Military Reservation, to Kiewit Pacific Co. for $38,031,886.
Repair to Building 123, Fort Shafter, to Alutiiq-Mele LLC for $2,118,339.
Renovate Buildings 1543/1547, Fort Shafter, to Nan Inc. for $3,410,000.
Replace electrical panels Wing D, Tripler Army Medical Center, to Pioneer Contracting Co. for $259,980.
Improve HVAC System 1A, Tripler Army Medical Center, to Pioneer Contracting Co. for $72,519.
Replace ATS-L C1, C2 Circuits, Tripler Army Medical Center, to Pioneer Contracting Co. for $402,480.
Whole Barracks Renewal Phase 2F2, Schofield Barracks, to Nan Inc. dba Ocean House Builders for $18,373,600.
Whole Barracks Renewal Phase 2G, Schofield Barracks, to Nan Inc. dba Ocean House Builders for $37,683,700.
DCGS Intel Squad Ops, Hickam Air Force Base, to Watts Constructors LLC for $13,325,000.
Repair MP HQ Building 3010, Schofield Barracks, to Dawson-DBS JV for $3,173,180.
Repair/install grounding and mooring points, Wheeler Army Airfield, to Hawaii Pacific Concrete & Paving Inc. for $514,170.
Demo Buildings Area 2131, Schofield Barracks, to SNM Builders for $1,072,299.
Repair B405, Fort Shafter, to Pacific Tech Construction for $1,259,046.
Construct Administration Building, Schofield Barracks, Alutiiq-Mele LLC for $571,500.
Repair/expand rear parking lot, Fernandez Hall, Schofield Barracks, to Pacific Tech Construction for $1,800,147.
Renovate B441, Fort Shafter, to Alutiiq-Mele LLC for $798,859.
Repair windows/doors Hangars 111,114, Wheeler Army Airfield, to Nan Inc. for $2,626,100.
Renovate U.S. Army Pacific Conference Rooms Buildings 100/117, Fort Shafter, to Niking Corp. for $911,239.49.
credited by: bizjournals.com
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