Category: Health Care

Stay Tuned – For No Union Updates

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. With no updates from the county supervisors’ ad hoc committee, workers are desperate for news about what is happening with the planned layoffs that are now barely a month away! Unfortunately the union “updates” leave us with more […]

Rally with Workers to Stop the Layoffs!

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Join AHS workers and fellow community members on May 5th from 4-6pm for a rally outside the AHS executives’ Jack London Square offices! AHS executives are spending millions of taxpayer dollars on waterfront offices, despite already having perfectly […]

Computer Catastrophe at Highland

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Highland computer network systems unexpectedly shut down twice last week, sending the hospital into chaos as computers, phones, elevators, and badge-access doors all suddenly stopped working. Patient care was severely disrupted for several hours over both days. Nurses […]

Stronger Together

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Alameda Health System (AHS) workers are sometimes frustrated by the bureaucracy of their union SEIU, and talk about how it would be better to have a more democratic process. Workers dislike the “closed bargaining” practiced by SEIU, in […]

Layoffs Delayed to June 30th!

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. AHS workers have been showing up and speaking out against the cuts to services and layoffs planned throughout our healthcare system. We organized with each other, reached out to the public, and made our voices too loud to […]

Kaiser: Another Long Strike is Over, What Happens When It’s Your Turn?

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser Oakland in Oakland, CA. After four weeks on the picket line, the strike by UNAC/UHCP workers was called off last week (week of 2/23). While UNAC/UHCP leadership cited significant progress at the bargaining table as the reason for returning to work, including […]

AHS Publishes List of Proposed Closures

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. As required by state law, AHS executives published a list of the proposed closures and elimination of services they are planning in the ongoing layoffs. This 59-page document includes the elimination of outpatient behavioral health services, the closure […]

Kaiser UNAC/UHCP Strike: An Injury to One is an Injury to All!

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser Oakland in Oakland, CA. It is now the fourth week of the UNAC/UHCP strike, and while many workers are still standing strong on the picket line, many are also feeling the economic pressure to return to work. Last week, reinforcements briefly arrived […]

Kaiser Workers Continue the Fight For Better Conditions!

UNAC/UHCP — the union representing various Kaiser workers such as rehabilitation therapists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and physical therapists — has been on strike since January 26. The strike has continued with a strong presence. At the Oakland facility, there were pickets on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with music, chants, and high energy. In […]

County Supervisors Call Out AHS Leadership

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Workers packed the Board of Supervisors meeting last week to tell county officials about the absurdity of AHS’s proposed layoff plan. Yet again, workers and the community spoke of the importance of AHS services, and the detrimental impacts […]

AHS Workers Honor Those Murdered by ICE

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Last Monday, January 26th, workers and community members gathered outside of Highland to commemorate Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who was killed in the streets of Minneapolis by ICE agents. In only a day, AHS workers organized a […]

Beilenson Hearing: Wednesday February 25th at 2pm

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors finally announced the scheduling of the state-mandated Beilenson Hearing, after significant pressure from workers, the union, and the community. California state law requires that healthcare facilities provide detailed information to the public […]

Highland Closes Weekend Cafeteria Service

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. In yet another act of cruelty towards Highland Hospital workers and patients, Alameda Health System executives have decided to end weekend cafeteria service at the hospital. The recent layoffs have left hospital workers understaffed and overworked, coming in […]

ER Boarding at Crisis Levels

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. The Highland emergency department, although usually overcrowded, has recently been dangerously over capacity. With the hospital fully impacted with patients, there is nowhere to admit people waiting in the ER. This leads to patients who have orders to […]

We Need the Union, And Then Some

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. For those of us lucky enough to be in a union, it plays an important role. But we can’t just rely on the union – we have to play an active role in struggles ourselves if we want […]

Is AHS Trying to Privatize Our Hospital?

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. The rapidity and carelessness of these layoffs has made many of us question if AHS has had ulterior motives with these sudden cuts. Given we have been denied rational explanations for why certain positions and services were targeted, […]

AHS Workers Stand Up To the Board

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Last week’s Board of Trustees meeting kicked off with over two hours of public comment about the recent layoffs, despite speakers being limited to one minute each. Speakers included AHS workers from across the healthcare system who stood […]

AHS is Breaking the Law

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. California state law requires that county healthcare facilities hold public hearings (known as Beilenson Hearings) before reducing or eliminating any services. The law requires that the board provide notice of all proposed reductions, how many community members will […]

Letter From an AHS Worker:

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. After 10 years of working for Alameda Health System, I was notified on January 6, 2026, that I would be laid off effective March 9th due to the so-called “big beautiful bill,” and this has had a devastating […]

Layoff Chaos

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. The layoff notices sent out by AHS were a total disaster. Some workers received layoff notices which were rescinded the very next day. Some workers were laid off and told to stay home on administrative leave, then told […]

Workers Tell the Board: No Layoffs!

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Last week, more than 70 people spoke at the Board of Trustees meeting, urging board members to halt the layoffs and stop cuts to important patient services. Hundreds gathered at Highland to show their support for the workers […]

The Only Solution is Solidarity!

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. A hospital system relies on all types of workers to make it function – from therapists who ensure patients can safely swallow or move, to kitchen staff who cook and serve meals for patients and their families, to […]

So How Do We Organize?

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. The administration was trying to limit our ability to organize with our coworkers by doing this over the holidays, when workers are out of town or visiting family. They were planning on immediately taking away workers’ badge access […]

What Can We Expect From These Cuts?

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Proposed cuts will target multiple departments of the hospital. But what do these cuts mean for the functioning of our healthcare system? Department managers have NO PLANS for how to adjust to these changes in staffing. Click here […]

NYC Nurses on Strike!

On Monday, January 12, nearly 15,000 nurses at three of New York City’s largest hospital systems went on strike. While they are demanding better pay, they are also fighting for improved work conditions and to protect benefits they already have. This strike is part of an ongoing nationwide conflict between health care workers and hospital […]

Layoffs Brought to You By COT

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. The team deciding on who to cut was made up of current AHS healthcare workers who know the system, right? Wrong! A furniture salesman, a realtor, and a nurse who hasn’t worked in 40 years. Makes $en$e! Layoff […]

Why not cut from the top?

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. The executives have banded together to lay off the workers who actually do the work in the hospitals and clinics across AHS. But what do these managers and executives do? They’re the ones taking home the fat paychecks […]

AHS: Follow the F’ing Law!

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Is AHS delaying layoff announcements because what they have been trying to do is illegal? According to California’s Beilenson’s Act, county boards are required to hold public hearings before making major changes to healthcare services at county facilities. […]

Our Holiday Bonus This year: Anxiety

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. While layoff notices are being delayed from December 24th to January 6th, the dread of wondering if you’re still “on the list” now only has more time to fester. The damage has been done – announcing layoffs for […]

AHS Workers Demand a Safe Workplace

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Healthcare workers at Highland and throughout the Bay Area were shocked to learn of the stabbing death of a social worker at a San Francisco General Hospital clinic earlier this month. Although SF General administrators are now agreeing […]

When Workers Organize, The Bosses Listen

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Employees of AHS, especially at Highland, have been calling on the administration to protect patients from immigration enforcement in the hospital. They have been hosting Know Your Rights trainings, passing around badge buddies with info about how to […]

Stronger Together

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. A proposal has been circulating at Highland recently for registered nurses to form their own chapter board within SEIU. Nurses were concerned that they were not well represented in the current chapter board, which is primarily composed of […]

Cancelled Shift? Know Your Rights!

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Although it’s rare, every once in a while at Highland we are actually overstaffed for a shift, where there are more nurses scheduled than can be assigned to the number of patients. When this happens, management might try […]

AHS – The Grinch Stealing Xmas

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Workers throughout Alameda Health System are understandably concerned about the upcoming layoffs, which couldn’t have come at a worse time right before the holidays. Families are waiting to make travel plans and buy gifts, knowing they might not […]

Layoffs Announced at AHS

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. We were notified via email a couple weeks ago that 372 positions are being considered in a new workforce reduction plan. Then last week, AHS administration confirmed that these positions would in fact be laid off. Here’s what […]

AHS Employees Give ICE the Cold Shoulder

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. AHS employees have repeatedly asked AHS admin for stronger and clearer policies around ICE, similar to what some other hospitals have. Yet admin’s response is always the same: we already have policies in place and you can find […]

Power Failure at Highland

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Last week the power was out in the ACT for about 40 minutes. Thankfully the most necessary machines stayed on, and power was not down for long. But some important equipment, we learned, was not connected to a […]

Why Only One CT at Night?

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Highland night shift nurses often find themselves asking why the hospital operates two CT scanners during the day, but only one at night. Highland recently achieved designation as a stroke center, meaning even more patients are coming through […]

Open Enrollment Panic Week Concludes

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. The brief open enrollment period for health insurance ended last week, leaving many workers unsure if they selected the best plan for themselves and their families. But why is open enrollment such a confusing and stressful time? We […]

Budget Cuts? Why Not Chop From the Top!

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. At the last desktop leadership chat, executives stated “all options are on the table” when asked if budget cuts may lead to layoffs. If all options are truly on the table, how about cutting executive pay? At the […]

WE Keep Our Patients Safe From ICE!

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Last week ICE officers escorted a patient into the ED, causing concern for staff. But workers were not discouraged, and instead quickly responded. In less than 24 hours, over 200 employees signed a letter asking for stronger policies […]

Management Ignores our MOU… Again

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. Nurses at AHS were recently required to attend annual competencies scheduled during only three days in September and two make-up days in October. Now management is threatening to take anyone off the schedule who did not attend these […]

James Jackson Enjoys Pay Raise Amid Budget Crisis

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA. On Monday, October 27th, Alameda Health System CEO James Jackson and CFO Kim Miranda gave a presentation on the upcoming budget to the county Board of Supervisors’ Health Committee. They described how AHS is anticipating cuts of $100 […]

Kaiser Serves up Layoffs and Junk Food

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Kaiser announced last week layoffs throughout the food service department at Oakland and other Kaiser campuses across California. Although Kaiser claims it will offer a period of continued salary and benefits to laid-off workers, this will […]

A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing at AHS

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Remember those emails we got from a random security company called Arctic Wolf? Many of us reported these malicious looking emails to our managers and flagged them as phishing attempts. Turns out they were legit. So […]

Strike Underway at Kaiser

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. Yesterday, Kaiser workers organized in the United Nurses Associations of California (UNAC) started a strike against Kaiser after their contract expired on September 30th. Like almost everyone working in healthcare, they are fighting for wage increases […]

Things Heating Up at Kaiser?

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. On Tuesday, September 23rd, there was an informational picket at Kaiser Oakland hosted by CNA. Similar actions were taken that day at different facilities across California, such as Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Leandro. […]

Artificial Intelligence Monitoring Workers at AHS

This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA. At Highland this month, workers are all finishing up their annual mandated online competencies. There was one new slide this year, detailing the use of artificial intelligence in worker surveillance at Alameda Health System. According to […]