Los Angeles nurses to hold an informational picket for patient safety and protest imminent closure of pediatric unit

Nurses at California Hospital Medical Center to protest unsafe staffing, increased workplace violence, staff layoffs

Registered nurses at California Hospital Medical Center (CHMC) in Los Angeles, Calif., will hold an informational picket on Monday, June 29, to protest the administration's decision to lay off essential unit support staff throughout the facility and to close the pediatric unit, announced California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU). Management has repeatedly failed to address nurses' ongoing concerns about the impact of diminishing resources on patient care and safety, including unsafe staffing, lack of ancillary staff, increased workplace violence, and lack of proper break relief.

On June 1, management announced a mass reduction of 82 employees, including all nurses in the pediatric unit, all unit secretaries in the hospital, and other health care staff. The pediatric unit is scheduled to close on August 31, 2026. They notified their employer on June 18, 2026, that they would hold an informational picket.

"It is unbelievable CHMC has decided to close the pediatric unit," said Laura Topete, RN in the postpartum unit at CHMC. "What will happen to our babies who need additional care after birth? Our patient population is limited, and the pediatric department helps keep moms and babies together. What will happen to these families when this unit closes?"

Who: Registered nurses at California Hospital Medical Center
What: Informational picket for Pediatric Unit closure, layoffs and patient safety
When: Monday, June 29, 6-9:30 a.m.
Where: California Hospital Medical Center, 1401 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles Calif., main entrance

Nurses have filed numerous assignment despite objection forms to report unsafe staffing and missed breaks. Nurses say CHMC management has failed to ensure a safe workplace by telling RNs to simply do more with less. CHMC management has also invested in virtual monitoring services in place of certified nursing assistants, shifting care models to save money instead of investing in safe staffing.

"Nurses on the floor are already strained," said Esmeralda Noriega, RN in the medical-surgical unit at CHMC. "What is going to happen when they lay off our unit secretaries and aides? The ability of our nurses to focus on the care needs of our patients will diminish, and our patients will suffer as a result. It is just not right."

"Leadership cannot ignore unsafe staffing and impossible demands on nurses," said Gwladys Minko-Ashcraft, RN in the telemetry unit at CHMC. "Our nurses are expected to take care of patients, educate family, complete charting, and medication pass on time without having overtime and without missing breaks. This is just not possible when our resources are nonexistent, and we do not have unit aides or break coverage. Our nurses are getting sick and experiencing moral distress, but CHMC doesn't want to hear this."

CNA represents 815 nurses at California Hospital Medical Center, CHMC is part of CommonSpirit Health, where CNA/NNOC represents more than 17,000 nurses at 33 facilities across the country. Common Spirit has issued layoff notices to nurses and support staff at several facilities throughout California.

California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.