Rady Children's Hospital nurses hit picket lines in historic strike

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Hundreds of nurses at Rady Children's Hospital hit the picket lines on Monday after a tentative contract agreement reached in last-ditch negotiations over the weekend was voted down by union members.

The demonstration by nurses with United Nurses of Children’s Hospital (UNOCH) Local 1699 marks the beginning of a historic two-day strike — the union's first since it was formed over 20 years ago. The strike is expected to end Wednesday morning.

According to the union, the striking nurses have been seeking better pay and benefits in their contract negotiations, demands they say will better patient care by cutting down on turnover and making recruitment efforts more competitive.

A 10-day strike notice was delivered to hospital administration earlier this month after the union overwhelmingly voted down the first contract proposal due to issues with the suggested wages and benefits. Two additional agreements, including one reached Sunday, were similarly rejected.