Nurses at Cottage Health seek to unionize in California

Nearly 1,300 registered nurses at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital have announced intentions to unionize with SEIU 121RN. The organizing effort aims to file with the National Labor Relations Board to request a union election, which organizers hope to hold by the end of the year.

Nurses cited several grievances driving the movement, including rising living costs, increased workloads, changes to leave policies, and concerns regarding wage transparency and executive compensation. Some staff members reported that current wages make it difficult to remain in the community while providing patient care.

SEIU leadership stated they have collected hundreds of authorization cards, which they claim is well above the 30% threshold required to trigger an election. In response, Cottage Health officials noted that many nurses have voiced opposition to the drive and stated that wages are assessed annually based on Southern California market data and Medicare reimbursement rates.