In an incremental step toward ending a two-year labor dispute, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital officials presented three proposals Sunday to the union that represents its nurses.
The proposals address three specific areas of conflict between the hospital and the Santa Rosa-based Staff Nurses Association, including night shift pay and staffing concerns, said Sue Gadbois, association president.
The meeting comes during a three-day strike that began Saturday and will last until 5 a.m. Tuesday. It is the nurses' second strike in 30 days.
Most striking nurses will not be able to return to work until the replacement staff's contract ends at 7 a.m. Thursday.
Nearly 200 nurses attended Sunday's standing-room-only meeting at a conference room at the Hilton on Round Barn Boulevard in Santa Rosa, Gadbois said.
Union members will review the hospital's plan and meet again at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday to respond, Gadbois said.
"It's always good to be negotiating and it's always good to have the hospital work on their position," Gadbois said. "But there are still a lot of issues left to negotiate."
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