Medical workers protest pay raise amid the pandemic

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY)-For a month now, medical workers at El Centro Regional Medical Center have been protesting low wages at the hospital.

Roughly 250 technical workers at ECRMC are currently in contract negotiations with the hospital's board of trustees.

Although a four-year tentative contract was negotiated for employees, Local Teamsters Union says the board backed out of the agreement.

“We had a tentative agreement for four years, addressing everything from wages, benefits, and working conditions. Unfortunately, they kind of backtracked from the tentative agreement," said Flavio Grijalva, Teamsters representative.

Grijalva believes the COVID-19 financial impact on the hospital may have played a role in the board’s decision to back down.

He says the pandemic should not affect a contract employees have been negotiating for over a year now.

“We know that money is already coming in from the federal government. We’ve offered a counter already, that includes us being able to talk to them about that, whether it's this year or next year, but it’s still trying to lock in the four years," said Grijalva.

Grijalva says a four year contract that ensures job security is at the top of the union’s list. However, El Centro Mayor Efrain Silva who also serves on the ECRMC board of trustees said in a meeting Tuesday that considering the financial challenges the hospital is facing, a long term contract of four years would most likely not be possible.

The board of trustees is expected to meet Monday.