We are writing to offer a different perspective on the recent conversation about forming a nurses’ union at our hospital. As members of the Emergency Department team at downtown Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, we take great pride in our work and believe we should consider the full picture before making a decision that could significantly change our workplace.
The ER is an amazing place to work. Every day, we see colleagues go above and beyond for our patients and for one another because they genuinely want to. We support each other through demanding shifts, and our managers advocate for us daily. The relationships we have built with colleagues and leadership are what make our department special.
Nurses’ concerns about wages and working conditions are real, and every nurse deserves to feel valued, heard, and supported. But we should also recognize the support our hospital already provides and consider whether continued collaboration, instead of an outside union, is the best path forward for nurses and, ultimately, the care we provide for our community.
That support matters in Santa Barbara, where high housing costs make raising a family difficult. Our hospital offers mortgage assistance and affordable housing to employees and is preparing to build more. Childcare is available directly across the street, with a larger facility under construction that will accommodate up to 100 additional children. The hospital also matches retirement contributions up to 3 percent of all employees’ salaries. These are meaningful investments in employees who are trying to build a life and remain part of this community and are just a few of the many benefits offered to employees at Cottage Health.
Compensation includes so much more than our hourly wage. It includes retirement contributions, housing assistance, childcare, health care benefits, and workplace support, all of which have real value in a community this expensive. There is room for improvement, but we need to evaluate the entire package rather than hourly wages alone.
It is important that our workplace be represented accurately. Staff are assigned each shift to cover lunches and short breaks. In the unpredictable environment of the ER, timing may depend on patient-care needs, but that is different from not providing breaks. Every department has its own challenges, but we share the same goal: excellent patient care while supporting the people who provide it. Rather than allowing divisions between staff and leadership to grow with a union in the mix, we believe we would be better served to continue to strengthen communication and build trust.
We should also be realistic about what a union can accomplish. It may negotiate on nurses’ behalf, but it cannot guarantee specific wages, benefits, staffing, or working conditions. Outcomes will depend on the healthcare labor market, the hospital’s finances, and the negotiations themselves. We should weigh what we might gain against what we could risk losing. We need to consider the many ancillary departments and support services that are essential to the daily functioning of our hospital. Could there be unintended consequences for these positions and/or their job security? A hospital is only as strong as the people working behind the scenes as well as those at the bedside. We must consider the well-being of the entire hospital staff.
Before taking such a significant step, we owe it to ourselves to explore every reasonable opportunity for improvement. Can we establish better ways to raise concerns and ensure meaningful follow-up? Can we work together on wages, staffing, and scheduling? We should expect accountability from our leadership and keep advocating for improvements, but we should exhaust all reasonable avenues for positive change before deciding that unionization is the best answer.
We are proud and honored to care for the thousands of patients who come through our Emergency Department each year. No workplace is perfect, and we should be cautious about relying on false or misleading statements, incomplete information, or exaggerated claims. Our hope is that we make this decision thoughtfully, not out of frustration or pressure, but with open minds and honest conversations. There is a time and place for unions, but we do not believe that a union is necessary for nurses at Cottage Health.
We are not suggesting that everything is perfect or that nurses should stop asking for better. We are asking that we recognize what is working, protect the positive culture we have created, and give collaboration a genuine chance. Our ER is a team of dedicated professionals who have worked for Cottage Health from six months to 30-plus years, who show up for one another and our patients every day. That is a future, and a 135-year culture, worth protecting.
Signed by, Kerry MacIntosh, Alexis Alcantar, Alisha Blanco, Nick King, Carly Clark, Natalie Lawler, Tara Wagner, Edith Gonzalez, Michele Brenning, Jolee Farias, Missy Beedle, Beth Gallo, Shelley Sanchez
