I am writing in response to the rash of negative letters about the nurses at Fremont-Rideout Health Group.

Recently, it was written that the nurses need to realize FRHG isn’t University of California, Davis or Sutter Roseville. That is precisely the reason our contract is based upon Enloe, Oroville and Woodland. We just want competitive wages, not top dollar.

What attracts people in any profession to apply for and stay with a company? Whether you acknowledge it or not, the answer is wages, benefits and retirement and, in nurse’s cases, a safe working environment. If we aren’t competitive, we will continue to have problems retaining our nurses and rely on temporary staffing.

Lastly, our union is fighting for a closed shop, meaning all nurses pay union dues (they pay the dollar amount, but it doesn’t have to go to the union). The hospital says it believes in the nurses’ right to choose to pay up to $960 per year in dues. Keep in mind they have no problem charging me $3,600 per year for mediocre medical benefits. And, contrary to what community members may think, they give me no discount on medical services.

Some of our nurses claim we should be fighting for more CNAs and better equipment. I find it ironic that our nurses vote in a union and suddenly it’s our responsibility to provide these things. That responsibility lies with the board and the CEO, and did long before there was a union to blame it on.

Darren Cardoza

Yuba City