Los Angeles, Ca
Healthcare workers sue L.A. County hospital for alleged firing over protesting safety issues
A group of healthcare workers filed a lawsuit against a Los Angeles County hospital, claiming they were fired over protesting unsafe staffing conditions.
Nine workers from St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood are being represented by attorney Gloria Allred. The workers said they were wrongfully fired after speaking up about what they claimed were concerning practices involving patient care and other safety issues at the hospital.
A press conference was held Friday where Allred and the plaintiffs spoke about the lawsuit.
“The heart of St. Francis is the people who work there,” said Scott Byington, a plaintiff and RN who worked at the hospital. “[People] who kept coming to work during the pandemic, who slept in their cars oftentimes and then went back to work, just like me. The retaliation by Prime for fighting for our patients’ safety and community is unwarranted and unjust.”
The lawsuit names St. Francis Medical Center in the filing and Prime Healthcare which acquired the medical center in 2020.
The former employees alleged they complained to management through their unions about what they believed were unlawful employment practices that negatively impacted patients and safety.
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St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, California. (KTLA) -
Around 1,500 healthcare workers begin a five-day strike against St. Francis Medical Center on Oct. 9, 2023. (KTLA) -
Around 1,500 healthcare workers begin a five-day strike against St. Francis Medical Center on Oct. 9, 2023. (KTLA) -
Around 1,500 healthcare workers begin a five-day strike against St. Francis Medical Center on Oct. 9, 2023. (KTLA) -
Around 1,500 healthcare workers begin a five-day strike against St. Francis Medical Center on Oct. 9, 2023. (KTLA) -
Health care workers strike outside St. Francis Medical Center on Oct. 9, 2023. (KTLA) -
St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, California. (KTLA)
“As healthcare providers, we are the first and at many times, the last, line of defense for our patients,” Byington said.
According to the lawsuit, medical staff were required to work double shifts due to insufficient staffing from layoffs. The allegations said the hospital accepted patients even though the nurse-to-patient ratio violated a California code of regulations.
After medical staff gathered letters of support from several elected officials and union leaders, they attempted to deliver the letters to Prime Healthcare representatives on Nov. 30, 2023, regarding their concerns.
Weeks later, however, the staff involved said they were suspended and ultimately fired.
“We are all tired of being tired,” said Mayra Castaneda, a hospital worker and plaintiff in the case. “Our patients deserve better. Our coworkers deserve better working conditions. This retaliation tactic will not stop us.”
Back in October 2023, thousands of nurses and healthcare workers began a five-day strike against St. Francis Medical Center. At the time, workers claimed the hospital was understaffed nearly every day and on every shift.
Around 600 registered nurses and 900 healthcare workers, including nursing assistants, medical assistants, emergency room technicians and respiratory therapists, were demanding adequate staffing and better wages.
Workers blamed the ongoing issues on the acquisition by Prime Healthcare. The turnover rate at the hospital was over 50% at the time, according to the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UNCP).
“We all believe in patients over profits,” said attorney Gloria Allred. “We will not be deterred or intimidated by a big powerful corporation.”
St. Francis Medical Center released a statement on the suit saying:
“These employees were not terminated for raising any concerns regarding patients or patient safety, but rather for violations of Hospital policy, which were reported and fully investigated, including abusive misconduct and trespassing. St. Francis will vigorously defend the lawsuit and continue to ensure the hospital is a safe and compassionate environment for all patients and staff.”
A hospital needs help identifying a male patient who was found injured and unconscious in downtown Los Angeles.
The man is believed to be in his 30s, according to the Los Angeles General Medical Center.
He was found injured on the ground on Omar Street and has been hospitalized since June 22.
He stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 176 pounds. He has brown eyes, dark brown hair and tattoos across his upper body.
He did not have any personal belongings to help staff identify him or contact loved ones. Workers did not disclose the nature of his injuries.
Anyone who recognizes the man is asked to call clinical social worker Cesar Robles at 323-409-6885.
The public can also call the L.A. General Medical Center’s Department of Social Work at 323-409-5253 or, after hours from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., call 323-409-6883. On weekends, call 323-409-5254.
Police are asking the public for help Wednesday in identifying a hit-and-run driver who left a woman badly injured in Long Beach late last month. The May 24 crash occurred around 11 p.m. as the victim was crossing East 2nd Street, according to the Long Beach Police Department. Video provided by police showed a dark-colored […]
WARNING: Video footage contains graphic violence
A 62-year-old street vendor is recovering after a brutally violent attack by another woman in broad daylight as bystanders in downtown Los Angeles looked on.
The attack happened around 4 p.m. on June 15 in the 700 block of Figueroa Street, where Arabelia Martinez has sold hot dogs for years to support herself and her family.
Video of the incident, which has since circulated widely online, appears to show a woman confronting Martinez at her stand before spraying sauce across the vendor’s cart. Martinez responds by throwing what appears to be Tajín seasoning in the woman’s direction, and the confrontation quickly escalates.
The difficult-to-watch footage shows Martinez being shoved to the ground and struck multiple times as people look on. Some can be seen attempting to intervene, but the assault continues for roughly a minute before coming to an end.
“I was speechless,” Martinez’s son, Constantino Garcia, said after watching the video. “I couldn’t even see the whole thing.”
According to Garcia, the suspect approached his mother before the attack and attempted to intimidate her into giving her money.
“The lady came up to my mom trying to intimidate her and extort her for money, telling her she needed a permit to sell, which my mom does have,” Garcia told KTLA’s Carlos Saucedo.
When Martinez refused, Garcia claims the woman became verbally abusive.
“After she didn’t get her way and tried to extort my mom, she said, ‘Go back to Mexico,’ and made some racist remarks,” he said. “She said some disgusting things to my mom.”
Garcia said his mother continues to suffer lingering effects from the attack.
“She keeps complaining about her head,” he said. “We need to go see a head specialist because her head doesn’t stop hurting. As you could see in the video, she got slammed to the ground.”
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A 62-year-old L.A. street vendor was violently beaten by another woman downtown as bystanders watched the broad daylight attack on June 15, 2026. (Constantino Garcia) -
A 62-year-old L.A. street vendor was violently beaten by another woman downtown as bystanders watched the broad daylight attack on June 15, 2026. (Constantino Garcia) -
A 62-year-old L.A. street vendor was violently beaten by another woman downtown as bystanders watched the broad daylight attack on June 15, 2026. (Constantino Garcia) -
A 62-year-old L.A. street vendor was violently beaten by another woman downtown as bystanders watched the broad daylight attack on June 15, 2026. (Constantino Garcia) -
A 62-year-old L.A. street vendor was violently beaten by another woman downtown as bystanders watched the broad daylight attack on June 15, 2026. (Constantino Garcia) -
A 62-year-old L.A. street vendor was violently beaten by another woman downtown as bystanders watched the broad daylight attack on June 15, 2026. (Constantino Garcia) -
A 62-year-old L.A. street vendor was violently beaten by another woman downtown as bystanders watched the broad daylight attack on June 15, 2026. (Constantino Garcia) -
A 62-year-old L.A. street vendor was violently beaten by another woman downtown as bystanders watched the broad daylight attack on June 15, 2026. (Constantino Garcia) -
A 62-year-old L.A. street vendor was violently beaten by another woman downtown as bystanders watched the broad daylight attack on June 15, 2026. (Constantino Garcia) -
A 62-year-old L.A. street vendor was violently beaten by another woman downtown as bystanders watched the broad daylight attack on June 15, 2026. (Constantino Garcia) -
A 62-year-old L.A. street vendor was violently beaten by another woman downtown as bystanders watched the broad daylight attack on June 15, 2026. (Constantino Garcia)
The video has also sparked outrage over the response from some witnesses who were nearby during the assault.
“What’s going on with our society?” Garcia said. “Are we getting desensitized to an elderly woman being beaten in broad daylight and being surrounded by people doing the bare minimum to help her? That was horrible for me to watch.”
Witness Sebastian Gutierrez said he arrived moments after the confrontation and saw Garcia’s attacker causing additional chaos in the area.
“The lady began to flip over the tables of vendors,” Gutierrez said, describing the woman as possibly unstable. “It definitely seemed like there were mental health issues or drugs involved, like we see with a lot of things here in downtown L.A.,” he said.
The Los Angeles Police Department has launched a battery investigation into the incident KTLA confirmed, though no suspect information or news of a potential arrest has been released.
Meanwhile, Martinez’s family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with her recovery and raise awareness about the dangers street vendors face daily.
“I hope that my mom gets justice for what happened to her,” Garcia said. He added that he’s been encouraged by the public response to the video.
“I’m grateful people are sympathizing with my mom,” he said. “People are giving it the attention it deserves.”
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