Registered nurses with Contra Costa Health and Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, in Martinez, Calif., will hold an informational picket on Thursday, June 25, to protest the county's failure to commit to preserving patient care and nursing staff, announced California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) today.

Contra Costa Health released a budget report in April stating the loss of funding due to the Republican-passed H.R. 1 will require "reducing services" and "potential staff reductions." While the Board of Supervisors has said that it does not intend to sell off any service lines or facilities, nurses are looking for a written agreement guaranteeing they will retain their jobs, seniority, and benefits with any potential buyers. Nurses say without such guarantees, they fear an exodus from the county as nurses look for job stability. If experienced nurses leave, the county will lose critical expertise and experience, destabilizing the health care system, which benefits the entire community and many of Contra Costa County's most vulnerable populations.

"Nurses are working with increased patient loads and often without breaks or lunches to make sure our patients get the best care possible," said Robin Hargrave, RN at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center. "We do this because we are committed to our patients and to the mission of Contra Costa Health to care for the most vulnerable in our community. But we fear that if we don't get a written guarantee from Contra Costa Health that they intend to honor our commitment, then we will lose experienced nurses. Without the wisdom and expertise of experienced nurses, our entire patient community would suffer."

Who: RNs in the Contra Costa Health System
What: Picket to reverse dangerous cuts to patient care
When: Thursday, June 25, 2- 4:30 p.m.
Where: Contra Costa Regional Medical Center | 2500 Alhambra Ave, Martinez, Calif. 94553

According to the county, the Trump administration's cuts to health care from H.R. 1 would affect as many as 93,000 residents of Contra Costa County by 2029. Nurses are encouraging the Board of Supervisors to use their rainy day fund to shore up Contra Costa Health and to preserve services and staffing. According to county records, Contra Costa County has more than $500 million in its rainy day fund.

Nurses are fighting to ensure the stability of the entire system and to ensure the maintenance of these vital health services and facilities, and retain nurses as the county looks to reduce staffing.

"Should our system become overloaded and nurses feel their jobs are at stake, we fear we will not be able to retain and recruit experienced nurses to care for our community," said Shannon Turner, NP at Pittsburg Health Center. "We need a commitment from our leadership to work with us to protect Contra Costa Health and our patients."

CNA represents over 1,300 registered nurses in the Contra Costa Health system. Nurses have been in contract negotiations since July 2025.

California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.