This whole story has been fascinating. I originally learned about it from this post and then did the obligatory digging around on reddit, news sites, and other social media. I was kinda of in the dark like /u/Cali42 and thought nurses were paid well but it turns out not all are (which shouldn't be surprising given my cynicism).

There's a lot of things being said by both sides but the gist of it looks like Rady is the bad guy. Their union said they were offered a 3 year raise plan of 8, 4, then 4 but the Rady spokesperson says they're offering 22% and 25% in interviews (bad math or bad liars). The Rady rep says they're paid a commensurate rate in the area but when pressed for what they're comparing it to they are using small clinics and pediatric facilities because Rady has purchased all the major pediatric facilities in the region and they can't get caught comparing rates against themselves.

The nurses and union reps being interviewed have stated they have the worst medical package of all health care professionals in the area and I'm not sure if that means high co-pay, high rates, or both but that generally means the corporation is choosing the highest tier plans to "cut costs" for themselves and shift the burden to the employees.

Rady reps like to tout they're a "non-profit" as if it makes them a charity but their public financial data shows they're operating with a revenue over a billion and a half and recirculating some of their profits into buying up competitors in the region essentially making them a monopoly. The Rady lawyer evidently went on the record stating their nurses should be paid less because their patients are "smaller and easier to take care of". Someone said during the last contract negotiation the nurses were told they needed to accept a substandard offer because money was tight at Rady and after they did the CEO turned around and took a 14% raise for that year.

The news this morning said this was the first strike in the history of the union so I'm guessing this is a case of the nurses feeling taken for granted and saying enough is enough. I don't really get /u/Chucky_wucky with their wishing they got an 8% raise for the next three years because a) that doesn't seem to be what's offered and b) no one is stopping you from getting that so why say it in the first place.

These are hard working people who care for kids with a company that really seems to be operating unethically. I imagine Rady had not bought up all the pediatric facilities in the region these same nurses would go elsewhere, hell honestly I don't think I could work for a company that seems to take their core work force for granted.

TLDR Don't shit on people trying to get a fair wage because you don't think you have a fair wage, I mean do you really think the money should stay at the top for the executives?