Riverside County Nurses: Lagging Wages Produce Hidden Costs for Taxpayers

What’s happening with RN wage parity?

Riverside RN wages are lower than their Southern California counterparts’, and that’s hurting staff retention and creating hidden costs for taxpayers. Now nurses have joined together to make their voices heard.

On June 17, 2008, RN Jessica Ferguson (pictured right) spoke to the Board of Supervisors about the need for wage parity and presented each Board member with our petition signed by hundreds of nurses. We let the Board know that this is not just an issue of better wages and benefits, but about ensuring that the county will continue to recruit and retain qualified nursing staff.

“Health care professionals are an asset to the county, not a liability,” said Ferguson. “Our wages should not be viewed as a way to keep costs low, but in terms of being able to recruit and retain qualified and caring staff.”

Ferguson specifically addressed Supervisor Jeff Stone because he has shown leadership in committing to compare our wage data with the county’s during a meeting with nurses on May 28, 2008. Our data shows that County of Riverside RN wages are below market in comparison to RN wages at comparable hospitals in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Despite that commitment from an elected official, the human resources director attempted to override Supervisor Stone. On June 3, 2008, Ron Komers sent a letter to SEIU stating that our hospital is a “training ground” to excuse low retention rates and said that he would not meet with us about parity until general contract talks start next year.

How much longer will nurses and the public have to wait while millions are spent on registry and travel nurses?

We hope that the buck will stop with the Board of Supervisors.

If you’re interested in joining the effort for wage parity, please contact Gregorio Daniel, Judith Bustamante, and Abbie Blumberg at 951-686-7372.