Nurse Strike Forces Layoffs at 2 Hospitals

BERKELEY — Two of three Bay Area hospitals hit by a strike laid off 400 non-nursing workers Monday as the walkout by 1,200 registered nurses belonging to the California Nurses Assn. entered its second week.

“We are running at one-third our normal census. We don’t have the work for them,” said Carl Smith, spokesman for both Alta Bates and Herrick hospitals in Berkeley.

The non-union employees let go included those in the housekeeping, food service and laundry departments, as well as clerical, maintenance, pharmacy and supply distribution workers, he said.

Alta Bates, which can hold 317 patients and averages 210, reported a census of 83 on Monday. At Herrick, which has 248 beds, the Monday census was 38. The Alta Bates Corp. owns both hospitals.

At the third hospital struck, Providence in Oakland, spokeswoman Linda Trowbridge said officials hope to raise the patient count this week with the help of management and non-union workers. Providence has laid off about 200 workers “across the board,” Trowbridge said.