Nurses and Postal Workers Strike and Rally in Modesto, Face Threats from Bosses

Strikers in Modesto picket.

California nurses and hospital staff launched a one day strike last week, affecting hundreds of hospitals across the state, including many in the Central Valley. In Modesto, over 200 marched and chanted on the picket lines in a solidarity strike with nurses at other hospitals. The strike was in response to cuts of health-care and pensions brought on by Kaiser Permanente. Many nurses are also concerned that new concessions will weaken standards that ensure that they do not come into contact with sickness and disease while working with patients.

While walking the picket lines, Modesto Anarcho talked to various strikers, who discussed the situation. According to strikers at the Kaiser Hospital in North East Modesto, one union who represents workers at the hospital, SEIU, (Service Employees International Union), has encouraged it's workers to not join in on the actions and even threatened anyone who walked out with possible disciplinary action. Management at the hospital has also attempted to scare nurses with threats of possible reprimands.

Postal workers rally downtown.

Postal workers facing off against the closure of offices and layoffs also rallied across the state, including in Downtown Modesto this week. In Modesto, workers rallied in front of City Hall before going on a short march.

The Democratic administrations of both Brown and Obama, who were thrust into office through union money and votes – have both pushed massive austerity measures and continued attacks on workers, immigrants, students, and the poor. The union leadership has shown itself to be incapable of fighting the current attacks on the working class and is all too happy to enforce them on its membership. In the case of SEIU, (which the nurses' union NUHW split from), it is even willing to try and scare various workers from taking action in solidarity with their brothers and sisters. We salute the hospital workers who faced down not only their bosses but also their union leaders and decided to walk the picket lines.

The current nurses' strike, the actions by postal workers against lay-offs and the shutting down of stores, the occupation of the Wisconsin capitol, and the ongoing actions by ILWU port workers in the Pacific-Northwest, all point to growing unrest among workers and a possibly growing militancy and desire to fight back. The question remains, will we allow our struggles to be co-opted, deflated, and sold-out before they even begin? Or, will we take control over our battles, holding mass meetings in our workplaces were all voices are heard, taking action against scabs and bosses, and also expanding our strikes to other industries and workplaces. Our greatest weapons are solidarity and our ability to organize ourselves.