Local union accuses Dameron Hospital of looking to outsource jobs in wake of stalled labor talks

Stockton native Erica Heyne was one of about 20 demonstrators who gathered outside Dameron Hospital on Friday morning to support the hospital’s union healthcare workers, some of whom fear they could be looking for new employment in the near future.

A local healthcare workers’ union has accused the hospital of outsourcing jobs and negotiating in bad faith during ongoing labor talks.

An organizer with the North Valley Labor Federation, a regional coalition of labor unions that advocates for workers’ rights, Heyne says the hospital needs to think about how the issue extends beyond contract negotiations and affects the broader community.

“They have a right to a fair contract, to healthcare, and to keep the jobs they’ve had for their entire adult lives,” she said.

The rally, organized by the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 29, comes amid a broader labor dispute between the union and hospital management. Union representatives say the hospital is seeking to subcontract key departments through Frontline Health Staffing, a move they argue could displace long-time workers and reduce benefits.

John Culver, a business representative for the union, which represents about 6,000 workers across California including hospital employees, said Dameron Hospital is attempting to outsource approximately 70% of its union’s workforce, affecting departments such as housekeeping, maintenance and phlebotomy. He estimated about 54 workers could be impacted.

Culver said it is unclear whether workers would lose their jobs if the plan moves forward, noting some could be hired by a third-party contractor, though it’s not guaranteed.

The union’s previous contract expired last summer after an extension, and workers have continued under existing terms while negotiations remain ongoing, he said. Talks, which began in May, have stalled over healthcare coverage.

According to Culver, the hospital has proposed reducing employer-paid health benefits from full coverage for employees and their dependents to lower contribution levels.

Culver alleged the subcontracting plan is an attempt to bypass the bargaining process.

“They’re using subcontracting to take workers out of their union,” Culver said. “The big issue is health and welfare benefits. They want to cut those benefits for some of the most vulnerable workers we have.”

The union has filed multiple unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board, the federal agency that enforces U.S. labor law, Culver said, including allegations of bad-faith bargaining, regressive proposals and failure to provide requested information. 

Under the National Labor Relations Act, employers are required to bargain in good faith with unions, which includes meeting at reasonable times, negotiating over wages and working conditions, and providing relevant information requested during negotiations. Federal law does not prohibit employers from outsourcing work. However, such actions can become unlawful if they are implemented without bargaining, used to undermine a union, or accompanied by a refusal to provide information or engage in negotiations. 

The union’s filings with the NLRB allege those types of violations.

Culver said the agency has found merit in those claims — meaning federal investigators determined there is enough evidence to support the union’s allegations against Dameron Hospital — though the cases remain ongoing.

Dameron Hospital Director of Marketing and Communications Scott Nariyoshi did not immediately respond to Stocktonia’s request for comment.

Workers at the rally described the potential impact of union jobs being outsourced in personal terms.

Darlene Thomas, a housekeeping employee who has worked at Dameron Hospital for 20 years, said losing her job could have serious consequences.

“I’m a single woman. I’m an older woman. I have a mortgage every month,” Thomas said. “If I don’t have a job, it may be difficult to pay the mortgage, and I could lose my home.”

Employees feel they are being pushed out despite years of service, Thomas said, including those spent as essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were a skeleton crew in housekeeping, but we still kept it together,” Thomas said. “They shouldn’t get rid of us. We’re a family.”

She added that many workers are hesitant to speak publicly out of fear of retaliation.

“Most of the employees, they’re really scared,” Thomas said.

Community members also joined the demonstration, emphasizing the hospital’s role in Stockton.

“I was born at this hospital,” Heyne said. “This is one of the few places people can go. This is a vital lifeline to this community.”

Heyne said hospital leadership should consider the human impact of their decisions.

“These are not just workers. These are people with rights,” she said.