Guillermo Mendoza-Lujan Details Layoffs, Staffing and Safety

On the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, Guillermo Mendoza-Luján, Secretary-Treasurer of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 121RN, warned that healthcare funding cuts are already translating into layoffs, reduced hours and worsening staffing conditions at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center and other Southern California facilities.

Mendoza-Luján said the initial layoffs will mean fewer staffed beds, longer emergency room waits and a higher risk of nurses being pushed out of safe staffing ratios. He also described ongoing labor disputes at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center, where nurses struck over staffing, wages and facility conditions. Throughout the discussion, Mendoza-Luján framed the moment as a patient-care emergency and urged coordinated action by healthcare workers and the community to protect access, safety and dignity in care.

• SEIU 121RN says hospital layoffs tied to Medi-Cal and Medicare cuts will reduce beds and increase ER delays, pushing nurses beyond safe staffing ratios.
• Safety-net hospitals in Southern California face compounding pressure as coverage gaps drive more patients to emergency care and intensify workplace strain.
• SEIU 121RN is escalating community advocacy and bargaining pressure to protect patient care, staffing levels and safe working conditions.

In a state with one of the largest economies on the planet, hospital nurses say the front lines of healthcare are being squeezed by a familiar combination: funding cuts, staffing reductions and administrative decisions that shift risk onto patients and caregivers.

Guillermo Mendoza-Luján, Secretary-Treasurer of SEIU 121RN, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to describe what he called the early fallout from cuts affecting Medi-Cal and Medicare funding streams. His warning was immediate and specific: layoffs and reduced hours are already changing how hospitals staff beds, manage emergency departments and support specialized patient services.

SEIU 121RN represents more than 11,000 nurses and licensed medical professionals across Southern California. Mendoza-Luján said the union is tracking staffing changes facility by facility, while also pushing for public accountability as hospitals cite budget pressure.

Pomona Valley Hospital Layoffs

Mendoza-Luján said Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center has announced 113 layoffs and an additional 24 positions with reduced hours. The cuts include both union and non-union roles, he said.

In the union-represented group, Mendoza-Lujan said the reductions include seven nurses along with specialized roles that support patient flow and continuity of care, including lactation consultants, a patient care coordinator and case managers.

For nurses on the floor, Mendoza-Luján said the staffing losses are not abstract. They translate into thinner coverage, heavier assignments and less time at the bedside. In emergency departments, where patient volume can surge without warning, he said the margin for error narrows quickly.

Safety-Net Hospital Pressure and Medi-Cal Coverage Reality

Pomona Valley functions as a safety-net hospital with a patient population heavily reliant on Medicare and Medi-Cal, Mendoza-Luján said. He estimated that roughly 80 percent of patients at the facility are covered through those programs.

That payer mix matters because when reimbursement is reduced or coverage is disrupted, hospitals often respond by cutting labor costs. Mendoza-Luján argued that the approach creates a dangerous cycle: fewer staff leads to fewer staffed beds, which can slow admissions and increase emergency department boarding.

In practical terms, patients wait longer for care and nurses are asked to do more with less — conditions that can undermine both patient outcomes and worker safety, he said.

Staffing Ratios and Patient Care Risk

Staffing reductions increase the likelihood that nurses will be pushed out of safe staffing ratios, Mendoza-Luján said.

California’s staffing ratio standards are widely viewed as a patient-safety benchmark. Mendoza-Luján argued that when hospitals reduce staffing, the remaining workforce is stretched across more patients, more tasks and higher acuity.

He described the resulting strain as a dual risk: nurses face burnout and injury while patients experience delays, reduced monitoring and less consistent bedside care.

Severance Packages, Retention and Workforce Disruption

The hospital offered severance packages following the layoffs, but Mendoza-Luján described the terms as inadequate and inconsistently applied.

He also described a case in which a long-tenured emergency room nurse sought a severance option after decades of service and was denied, then faced an ultimatum that led to resignation.

From the union’s perspective, these outcomes represent a loss of institutional knowledge at the exact moment hospitals need experienced clinicians to manage higher volumes and complex patient needs, Mendoza-Luján said.

Medi-Cal, Medicaid and Community Services Beyond Hospitals

Mendoza-Luján broadened the discussion beyond hospital walls, arguing that Medi-Cal and Medicaid funding support a wide range of community services.

He referenced services for children with individualized education plans, regional center clients and in-home support programs that help people live independently. When those supports are reduced, he said, the downstream effect often appears in emergency departments and inpatient units.

In his view, healthcare becomes the system of last resort when social supports fail — and hospitals are not staffed or funded to absorb that load indefinitely.

Shared Sacrifice and Accountability

Mendoza-Luján criticized what he described as a mismatch between executive compensation and staffing decisions.

He argued that when hospitals claim financial distress, leadership should demonstrate shared sacrifice before cutting bedside roles. He framed patient care as a moral obligation and warned against treating patients as revenue units.

For labor, the issue is credibility. Mendoza-Luján suggested that communities are less likely to accept staffing cuts when leadership compensation rises in the same period.

Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Strike and Facility Conditions

Mendoza-Luján also discussed a separate dispute at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center, where nurses conducted a five-day strike.

The strike centered on demands for safe staffing and fair wages, and he criticized management for refusing to continue bargaining.

He also described facility concerns raised by nurses, including pest issues and water intrusion in clinical areas. These conditions contribute to workplace risk and undermine the standard of care patients expect, Mendoza-Luján said.

Cal/OSHA, Workplace Safety and Healthcare Standards

Mendoza-Luján said stronger enforcement may be necessary to ensure safe working conditions in healthcare facilities.

He pointed to Cal/OSHA as a key agency for addressing workplace hazards, particularly when staff report conditions that could affect worker health and patient safety.

The broader union position, he suggested, is that hospitals cannot claim to provide high-quality care while allowing unsafe conditions to persist.

Community Advocacy, Storytelling and Organizing Strategy

Mendoza-Luján urged healthcare workers and community members to use public comment opportunities, contact elected officials and share real-world stories about how cuts affect care.

He cited examples of patients rationing insulin as evidence that coverage gaps and cost pressures can create immediate medical danger.

He also encouraged workers in non-union settings to pursue union representation, arguing that collective bargaining remains the most reliable tool for improving staffing, safety and respect at work.

What Comes Next for California Healthcare Labor

If staffing reductions continue, Mendoza-Luján warned that emergency departments will become more crowded, wait times will rise, and workplace strain will intensify. For SEIU 121RN, the strategy is to combine bargaining pressure with community coalition work, emphasizing that patient and worker safety are inseparable.

In California’s healthcare system, the question is not whether demand will grow. It is whether hospitals will be staffed to meet it, he said.

Go Behind the Scenes of the Labor Movement

Every victory at the bargaining table starts with workers standing together. From the shop floor to the statehouse, hear how activists are fighting for better wages, safer conditions and a stronger future. Subscribe to the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to get the latest interviews with the leaders and organizers building worker power across America.