Kindred Westminster agrees to monthly COVID-19 testing
NUHW members at Kindred Westminster won a major victory this month, pressuring their employer to implement major infection control protocols shortly before a planned protest outside the hospital.
Kindred Westminster members overwhelmingly approved an agreement that includes:
- Monthly COVID-19 testing for all workers
- N95 masks for all hospital employees
- Hazard pay for workers serving COVID-19 patients
- Weekly labor-management COVID-19 meetings
The agreement marked the first time an employer has agreed to test all NUHW members monthly for COVID-19.
Kindred Westminster members were resolute in preventing a major outbreak at their hospital similar to what occurred in June at nearby Kindred Hospital Brea, where an outbreak infected 27 NUHW members and ended the life of Roda Vicuna, a nurse.
Westminster workers held a protest in July and were preparing for a second protest when management agreed to meet nearly all of their demands.
“We control our destiny,” said Emma Madrid-Ungos, a nurse at the hospital. “When we fight together, and we stand up for what’s right, we can protect ourselves, our patients and our families.”