We, the Nurses and Licensed Medical Professionals who work at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center (PCSTMC), have been in negotiations for a new union contract since July 2025.
Throughout negotiations, our bargaining team has reported serious health and safety, harassment, broken or missing equipment and pest control concerns to the hospital’s management team and Chief Negotiator. Unfortunately, the hospital’s Chief Negotiator repeatedly stressed that negotiations were not the place to address these concerns.
Because Cedars-Sinai has a 49% ownership stake in our hospital, we believe you should have an equal interest in our safety and wellbeing, as well as that of our patients. Listed below are some of the serious issues you should be aware of (list not exhaustive):
Black Mold Exposure
Some of us received notice of potential exposure to Aspergillus mold over a 2-year period, but others who worked in that building during the notice period did not receive notice. We requested information about whether patients had been notified of potential exposure and were told our request was not relevant and the requested information was denied.
We have also been informed that one of the AC units in the old building where black mold was found is used to provide air conditioning to the new building. Mold spores spread easily through air ventilation systems and we’re concerned about ongoing exposure for our patients as well as ourselves. Inhalation of Aspergillus mold via HVAC systems has been attributed to patient deaths in other hospitals — notably at Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Mold has also been reported in ice machines, water machines and coffee machines – all used by us as well as for patients and their families.
Water Intrusion
Operating Room (OR) staff have reported chronic water leaks in areas that must remain sterile. Instead of fixing the problem, management directed buckets to be placed inside the drop ceiling to collect the water, dump it daily, and then place empty buckets in the same locations.
Consistent water intrusion risks contaminating sterile equipment and contributes to mold growth. There have been documented reports over the years of ceilings leaking with no remediation.
On Monday, 2/16/26, a portion of the OR ceiling fell apart along with several gallons of water. It was later sealed off with microbial hazard warning signs, but this could have been prevented.
Toxic Workplace Culture
For years, reports have been submitted regarding harassment and bullying by some doctors and supervisory personnel. For example, two doctors who had their privileges revoked from Providence St. Joe’s in Burbank due to years of documented sexual harassment, racial slurs, and other unlawful conduct — corroborated by nurses, female physicians and other staff — continue to maintain access privileges at our hospital based on what we have been told.
Missing, Broken, and Insufficient Equipment
Our hospital frequently lacks reliable monitoring equipment in the Emergency Department. Very few functioning monitors are available; many are broken or dependent on wall power. As a result, patient vital signs often cannot be monitored promptly or continuously, jeopardizing patient safety and creating a highly stressful environment for nurses and other caregivers.
The electrical grid in the OR is also failing, a known issue for years, and the hospital’s solution has been to use extension cords — adding new hazards to already dangerous conditions.
On-Going Pest Control Issues
For years, caregivers have reported cockroaches, gnats, flies, and other pests throughout the hospital, including in Labor and Delivery and in the OR. These reports have not been properly addressed, and the problem continues.
Despite these conditions, we have soldiered on. However, we cannot continue to be subjected to an environment that forced us to make the difficult decision to strike. We want to return to work in an environment that is safe and where we feel our voices are valued and our patient advocacy is respected.
We urge you to demonstrate leadership during this time by intervening on behalf of our Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana community and demanding that our hospital’s management team work with us to resolve these issues before they lead to preventable patient and employee injuries, and liability for the hospital.
Respectfully Submitted,
