http://oaklandnorth.net North Oakland's news, arts and food source Fri, 17 May 2013 18:00:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Oakland North (www.OaklandNorth.net) is a hyperlocal news site covering politics, crime, events, arts and entertainment in Oakland, California. Our Oakland North Radio podcast offers free, downloadable audio stories covering the local community. Oakland North is a project of U.C. Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, and our audio podcasts are produced in cooperation with the school's radio program. With support from the Ford Foundation, graduate student reporters at the school are creating focused news outlets to concentrate on different parts of the Bay Area. You can find our sister sites, covering San Francisco's Mission District and the city of Richmond, California at www.MissionLocal.org and www.RichmondConfidential.org. Our goals are to improve local coverage, experiment with online and digital media, and listen to you -- about the stories and features that most interest you, the issues that concern you, the information services you want, and the reporting you’d like to see undertaken in your own community. Please feel free to contact us at staff@oaklandnorth.net. Happy listening! Oakland North no Oakland North staff@oaklandnorth.net staff@oaklandnorth.net (Oakland North) 2010, Oakland North Oakland North oakland, california, food, bikes http://oaklandnorth.net/wp-content/themes/oaklandnorth/images/itms/oaklandnorth-itms.jpg http://oaklandnorth.net http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/10/29/muslims-celebrate-eid-ul-adha-in-downtown-oakland/ http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/10/29/muslims-celebrate-eid-ul-adha-in-downtown-oakland/#comments Tue, 30 Oct 2012 01:52:08 +0000 Mark Anderson http://oaklandnorth.net/?p=88001 Fairy lights and Persian rugs guided Muslims up an elegant, high-ceilinged stairway and into a special religious service held Friday to mark the end of the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca that is undertaken by some 1.8 million Muslims every year. Although none of those in Oakland’s Iranian community who attended a service at the Islamic Cultural Center for Northern California had completed the Hajj this year, they came out...]]> http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/10/29/muslims-celebrate-eid-ul-adha-in-downtown-oakland/feed/ 0 bay area,eid ul-adha,iran,Islam,islamic culture,muslim,Oakland Fairy lights and Persian rugs guided Muslims up an elegant, high-ceilinged stairway and into a special religious service held Friday to mark the end of the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca that is undertaken by some 1.8 million Muslims every year. - Fairy lights and Persian rugs guided Muslims up an elegant, high-ceilinged stairway and into a special religious service held Friday to mark the end of the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca that is undertaken by some 1.8 million Muslims every year. Although none of those in Oakland’s Iranian community who attended a service at the Islamic Cultural Center for Northern California had completed the Hajj this year, they came out to celebrate Eid ul-Ahda, the end of the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, with two prayers and two sermons in downtown Oakland. Eid ul-Adha commemorates the willingness of Abrahim to sacrifice his son Ishamel to God. Muslims around the world believe that a sheep was killed in Ishamel’s place, and now celebrate by slaughtering livestock to distribute among the less fortunate. They also observe a day of prayers. Muslim communities held fairs and family events around the Bay Area on Friday to mark the event. The day is an opportunity for Muslims to spend time with their communities and give gifts to children. At the Oakland center, about100 people knelt on prayer mats, repeating verses from the Qur’an and following prayers led by Imam Rahim Nobahar, with men and women sitting or kneeling in separate areas of the room and the elderly seated in chairs. "It is mandatory for every rich Muslim to go to pilgrimage once during his or her life," Nobahar said. But Muslims who can’t afford to visit Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, celebrate the end of the five-day Hajj by praying and spending time with their families and the Muslim community. “The holiness and the greatness and significance of these days and nights are not limited to those who are in pilgrimage,” Nobahar said in a sermon to the kneeling congregation. “Still, you have time to do something, sisters and brothers,” Nobahar said, as he solicited donations for a food bank to help the less fortunate. Completing the Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, but only for Muslims with the financial and physical means to travel to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. The other pillars are daily prayers, a declaration of faith, offering regular charity and fasting during the month of Ramadan. Shiite Muslims, the predominant Islamic sect in Iran, celebrate two Eid festivals in addition to Eid ul-Adha: Eid ul-Fitr, at the end of Ramadan, and Eid ul-Ghadeer, to mark the prophet Mohammed’s appointment of Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor. “I had the fortune of going to Hajj with my brother about 8 years ago and experience that first-hand,” said Hamid Rezapour, a co-founder of ICCNC. After growing up in Tehran, Iran’s capital, Rezapour moved to the Bay Area 33 years ago, graduating from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business with an MBA before going on to practice dentistry for over two decades. “For me, this takes me back to my Hajj experience and that was really an unforgettable, very personal experience that everyone should experience on their own, inshallah,” he said of his pilgrimage. Yasir Al-Wakeel recently moved to Oakland from London and said he was attending the ceremony to get to know the Bay Area’s Muslim community. He went on Hajj in 2007. “It was a lot harder than I thought,” he said. “I thought it would be like sitting on a mountain and contemplating God.” During their journey to Mecca, pilgrims are taught to assume a state of self-control known as ihram, and not to harm any living creatures or raise their voices. They also wear two pieces of unsewn white cloth, to symbolize their equality before God. “Hajj to me is a microcosm of my life: you’re spending time trying to observe certain rituals,” Al-Wakeel said.  “And it’s not easy to accomplish those basic acts of walking from point A to B to C, because of the number of people around you.” Pilgrims also circle the Ka'aba, which Muslims believe to to be the first sanctuary on earth dedicated to the one true God; gather near Mount Arafah, Mark Anderson no http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/04/19/image-comics-on-the-rise/ http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/04/19/image-comics-on-the-rise/#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:00:16 +0000 Spencer Whitney http://oaklandnorth.net/?p=77070 Image Comics changed the face of the industry with the success of titles like “Spawn” and the “Walking Dead.” At Image, the idea was to create a company where comic creators could bring new ideas to the table and the creators would own their intellectual property without worrying about being underpaid. Spencer Whitney tells us the story of the Berkeley-based Image Comics and how they became the largest independent comic...]]> http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/04/19/image-comics-on-the-rise/feed/ 0 Image Comics changed the face of the industry with the success of titles like “Spawn” and the “Walking Dead.” At Image, the idea was to create a company where comic creators could bring new ideas to the table and the creators would own their intellectu... Image Comics changed the face of the industry with the success of titles like “Spawn” and the “Walking Dead.” At Image, the idea was to create a company where comic creators could bring new ideas to the table and the creators would own their intellectual property without worrying about being underpaid. Spencer Whitney tells us the story of the Berkeley-based Image Comics and how they became the largest independent comic book publisher in the industry. Spencer Whitney no http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/03/14/happy-pi-day-bay-area-oaklanders-celebrate-with-math-and-pie/ http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/03/14/happy-pi-day-bay-area-oaklanders-celebrate-with-math-and-pie/#comments Wed, 14 Mar 2012 18:00:44 +0000 Laura Hautala http://oaklandnorth.net/?p=75333 A group of Bay Area folks come together every year on March 14 to celebrate pi — the mathematical constant and the dessert. Laura Hautala spent a recent Saturday afternoon joining in on the peculiar celebration. ]]> http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/03/14/happy-pi-day-bay-area-oaklanders-celebrate-with-math-and-pie/feed/ 0 A group of Bay Area folks come together every year on March 14 to celebrate pi — the mathematical constant and the dessert. Laura Hautala spent a recent Saturday afternoon joining in on the peculiar celebration. A group of Bay Area folks come together every year on March 14 to celebrate pi — the mathematical constant and the dessert. Laura Hautala spent a recent Saturday afternoon joining in on the peculiar celebration. For more information about celebrating this math lover's holiday, visit the official Pi Day website (http://www.piday.org/). Laura Hautala no http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/03/13/for-urban-bikers-a-risky-commute-and-worries-about-safety/ http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/03/13/for-urban-bikers-a-risky-commute-and-worries-about-safety/#comments Tue, 13 Mar 2012 17:32:52 +0000 Laura Hautala http://oaklandnorth.net/?p=75228 Cities like Oakland would like to see more residents commuting by bike. But urban biking is risky, and sometimes both drivers and cyclists aren’t sure how to keep things safe. ]]> http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/03/13/for-urban-bikers-a-risky-commute-and-worries-about-safety/feed/ 3 Cities like Oakland would like to see more residents commuting by bike. But urban biking is risky, and sometimes both drivers and cyclists aren’t sure how to keep things safe. Cities like Oakland would like to see more residents commuting by bike. But urban biking is risky, and sometimes both drivers and cyclists aren’t sure how to keep things safe. For more information about bicycle safety, including a schedule for classes, visit the East Bay Bicycle Coalition’s website (http://www.ebbc.org/safety). Laura Hautala no http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/01/19/on-radio-one-on-one-with-the-gilmans-brian-edge/ http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/01/19/on-radio-one-on-one-with-the-gilmans-brian-edge/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:37:46 +0000 Oakland North Staff http://oaklandnorth.net/?p=72408 This year the Gilman, a not for profit punk rock club celebrates its 25 year anniversary. Oakland North talks with Brian Edge, author of “924 Gilman: The Story So Far,” about how this small gem of a venue is much more than just the few bands that played there and went on to become famous.]]> http://oaklandnorth.net/2012/01/19/on-radio-one-on-one-with-the-gilmans-brian-edge/feed/ 1 This year the Gilman, a not for profit punk rock club celebrates its 25 year anniversary. Oakland North talks with Brian Edge, author of “924 Gilman: The Story So Far,” about how this small gem of a venue is much more than just the few bands that playe... This year the Gilman, a not for profit punk rock club, celebrate its 25 year anniversary. Oakland North talks with Brian Edge, author of “924 Gilman: The Story So Far,” about how this small gem of a venue is much more than just the few bands that played there and went on to become famous. To read more about the Gilman check out their website at http://www.924gilman.org/blog/ Oakland North Staff no http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/11/11/occupying-oakland-and-its-bathroom-stalls/ http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/11/11/occupying-oakland-and-its-bathroom-stalls/#comments Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:03:34 +0000 Ted Trautman http://oaklandnorth.net/?p=67725 Even if you set aside the tear gas and broken windows, it’s hard to keep things clean when thousands of people are gathered in one place. The city says that things have gotten so dirty it’s a danger to the neighborhood, but some of Oakland’s occupiers are working hard to clean up their act.]]> http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/11/11/occupying-oakland-and-its-bathroom-stalls/feed/ 1 Even if you set aside the tear gas and broken windows, it’s hard to keep things clean when thousands of people are gathered in one place. The city says that things have gotten so dirty it’s a danger to the neighborhood, It’s been almost a month since the Occupy Oakland demonstration first came together in Frank Ogawa Plaza,and it’s no secret that things have gotten a little messy there since demonstrators and police began to clash late last month. But even if you set aside the tear gas and broken windows, it’s hard to keep things clean when thousands of people are gathered in one place. The city says that things have gotten so dirty it’s a danger to the neighborhood, but some of Oakland’s occupiers are working hard to clean up their act. Ted Trautman no http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/11/07/oakland-east-bay-symphony-features-renowned-pianist-sara-davis-buechner/ http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/11/07/oakland-east-bay-symphony-features-renowned-pianist-sara-davis-buechner/#comments Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:29:31 +0000 Casey Capachi http://oaklandnorth.net/?p=67101 Sara Davis Buechner, an associate professor of piano at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, established her success early in her career. She joined the Oakland East Bay Symphony on November 4 to play Leonard Bernstein’s Symphony No. 2 "The Age of Anxiety," as part of their kick-off concert for the 2011-2012 season. Buechner has an incredible off-stage story as well. She was once known as David but in 1998, at the age of 39, underwent gender reassignment and transitioned to being Sara. Although facing walls as a transgendered woman, Sara remains positive and hopeful for the future generation. “I have often said to people, ‘I don’t know why we’re so obsessed with what’s between the legs—I think what’s between the ears is a lot more important,’” she said.]]> http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/11/07/oakland-east-bay-symphony-features-renowned-pianist-sara-davis-buechner/feed/ 0 David Buechner,Oakland East Bay Symphony,Sara Davis Buechner Sara Davis Buechner, an associate professor of piano at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, established her success early in her career. She joined the Oakland East Bay Symphony on November 4 to play Leonard Bernstein’s Symphony No. Sara Davis Buechner arrived at the rehearsal late. She had just flown in from the East Coast and was running on little sleep as she prepared to rehearse with the Oakland East Bay Symphony for their opening concert for the 2011-2012 season. “I usually wear sweatpants, but decided to wear something nice tonight,” said Buechner, removing her jacket and tousling her shoulder-length blonde hair to reveal a fitted red blouse as she walked towards the piano on stage at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Buechner began by playing “The Age of Anxiety,” a highly energetic piece from Leonard Bernstein’s Symphony No. 2, just one of a number of pieces the symphony had chosen for their New World A-Comin’ concert, which took place on November 4. The show featured an array of music by American composers like Duke Ellington and George Gershwin, as well as by the Argentinian Alberto Ginastera. Buechner’s light eyes flitted across the pages of music as her fingers glided across the keyboard, sometimes as delicately as though she was flicking dust off of the edge of a table and other times furiously pressing down as if the keys were a game show buzzer for a question she desperately wanted to answer. Buechner, an associate professor of piano at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, established her success early in her career, in 1984 winning the gold medal in the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition and in 1986 the bronze medal in the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition. She has toured as a soloist, joining forces with many of America’s most prominent orchestras including the New York Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony. She has also produced dozens of recordings as well as played scores for silent movies and dance company performances. She is currently working on a multi-CD collection of J.S. Bach’s keyboard works. Buechner has previously played Beethoven's C Major Concerto with the Oakland East Bay Symphony in 2009. With an active repertoire of over 100 piano concertos, Buechner’s agile hands have tickled the ivories all over the world. They are also the same graceful hands that once belonged to David Buechner, who in 1998, at the age of 39, transitioned to being Sara. “I think it’s fair to say that I’ve encountered a lot of walls and a lot of problems because of being transgendered,” said Buechner as she took a break from rehearsing. Buechner has said that despite her credentials—an undergraduate degree from Juilliard and doctorate degree from the Manhattan School of Music—she experienced difficulty booking concerts and finding teaching opportunities following her gender reassignment. She even moved to the Bronx from Manhattan, where she said she found greater acceptance. She began touring regularly again after hiring a new agent, Carrie Feiner, a classmate of hers at Juilliard, who was determined to have her showcase her talent again.  Slowly Buechner started playing to crowds as Sara and having the success she had experienced as David. Instead of dwelling on the obstacles that she’s had to overcome as a transgendered woman, Buechner remains hopeful for young musicians, whom she sees as growing up in a more progressive era. “I’m very encouraged by the young musicians I get to work with, people much younger than me who really look up to me,” said Buechner. Buechner says she is beginning to forget all the issues “the older generation had” and is inspired by the acceptance she has since experienced living with her wife, whom she met before her transition, in Vancouver. Canada is one of a handful of countries in which same-sex marriage is legal. Buechner pauses, smiles, unsure whether or not to say something “crude” before continuing.  “I have often said to people, ‘I don’t know why we’re so obsessed with what’s between the legs—I think what’s between the ears is a lot more important,’” she said. With that, Sara rises and goes back into the concert hall, Casey Capachi no http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/10/11/99-percent-protesters-occupy-oaklands-ogawa-plaza/ http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/10/11/99-percent-protesters-occupy-oaklands-ogawa-plaza/#comments Wed, 12 Oct 2011 03:38:28 +0000 Amina Waheed http://oaklandnorth.net/?p=63359 Since Occupy Wall Street protests began nearly one month ago in New York, similar actions have erupted across dozens of US cities, including Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco. Since 4 p.m. Monday, nearly 100 Oakland residents have built a tent city on Ogawa Plaza’s grass field.]]> http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/10/11/99-percent-protesters-occupy-oaklands-ogawa-plaza/feed/ 6 99 percent,Buddy Roark,City Hall,Dotty Long,Jean Quan,John Reimann,Oakland city hall,Occupy Oakland,Occupy Wall Street,ogawa plaza,protest Since Occupy Wall Street protests began nearly one month ago in New York, similar actions have erupted across dozens of US cities, including Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco. Since 4 p.m. Monday, nearly 100 Oakland residents have built a tent city on... The Occupy Wall Street protests—which first began in New York’s financial district on September 17—have reached Oakland’s Frank Ogawa Plaza, where on Tuesday morning protesters camped out in about fifty tents in front of Oakland City Hall. Protesters welcomed passersby with signs that read “Do not consent to corporate oligarchy” and chalked the words “Bail out the people, not the banks” on the sidewalks. The Occupy Wall Street protests began nearly one month ago, when people gathered in New York to rally against big banks and protest economic inequality. Since then, protests have erupted across dozens of US cities, including Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco. Since 4 p.m. Monday, nearly 100 Oakland residents—from tattooed anarchists to retired grandparents to campus activists from local colleges—have built a tent city on the plaza’s grass field. Taking a cue from protesters in Egypt’s Tahrir Square this past January, Oakland’s protesters, who intend to camp there indefinitely, organized tents to provide different services, such as food, medical assistance, and entertainment. An arts and crafts tent was equipped with colorful markers and a djembe drum. Although the Occupy Oakland protesters have not yet decided on a unified set of goals, they are holding committee meetings and a larger general assembly daily to develop a strategic plan of action to end what they call the corporate corruption of the country’s elite. No single leader or organization runs these meetings, which one protester referred to as a “community tribunal.” Participants put forth amendments and proposals on issues such as creating new subcommittees and addressing housing for the protesters, either reaching consensus or “blocking” decisions. Although Oakland’s protests are rooted in national frustrations with economic disparities, protesters have also discussed local issues such as teen curfews, gang injunctions, and police brutality. “I’m tired of being broke,” said Dotty Long, a 62-year-old Oakland resident and bartender at the restaurant Everett & Jones. “It’s just not fair that one particular group gets all the cookies.” Long sat on a lawn chair draped with a cheetah-patterned blanket; her Raiders hat and sweatpants stood out against the purple and black interior of her tent. “It would be one thing if they wanted to share, but that’s not the case,” she said as she knitted a green poncho. “I’m here to voice my disapproval, peacefully.” Long was joined by others who felt that occupying Frank Ogawa Plaza indefinitely would send a clear message to policy makers that changes need to be made. “We need more direct participatory democracy,” said Lucy V, a 26-year-old Brooklyn native who declined to give her full last name. Lucy came to visit friends in Oakland and ended up helping run the food tent. She squatted down on her bare feet, muddied by the rain, to wash a blue basin. “People directly affected by decisions should be making the decisions,” she said. On one side of the plaza, protesters huddled Tuesday under a blue tarp riddled with holes as they held a committee meeting to discuss issues such as security, housing, logistics, and drafting the group’s demands. “I want to see a written resolution,” said Reinaldi Gilder, a 26-year-old student. “There needs to be something to take to the city council, and to the local and federal level.” John Reimann, a 65-year-old Oakland resident and retired construction worker, urged the group to consider stationing some people out on the streets to pass out fliers in order to attract more passersby to join their cause. “Don’t expect people to come to us. We need to go to them,” he said. Reimann said he had five reasons for why the Occupy Wall Street protests matter to him: Thandiwe, Amara, Jair, Xochitl, and Amen. “They’re my grandkids,” he said. “I want to see a decent future for all our grandchildren. I want them to have decent jobs, a clean environment, Amina Waheed no http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/09/26/oakland-museum-of-childrens-art-stumbles-into-middle-east-fray/ http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/09/26/oakland-museum-of-childrens-art-stumbles-into-middle-east-fray/#comments Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:00:18 +0000 Adam Grossberg http://oaklandnorth.net/?p=61173 For 22 years, the Museum of Children’s Art (MOCHA) has focused on providing art instruction and community outreach for the children of Oakland. This month, the Old Oakland museum staff and board members found themselves embroiled in what one board member described as “the most contentious issue on the planet.”]]> http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/09/26/oakland-museum-of-childrens-art-stumbles-into-middle-east-fray/feed/ 4 art,children,gaza,israel,MOCHA,museum of children's art,palestine For 22 years, the Museum of Children’s Art (MOCHA) has focused on providing art instruction and community outreach for the children of Oakland. This month, the Old Oakland museum staff and board members found themselves embroiled in what one board mem... For 22 years, the Museum of Children’s Art (MOCHA) has focused on providing art instruction and community outreach for the children of Oakland. This month, the Old Oakland museum staff and board members found themselves embroiled in what one board member described as “the most contentious issue on the planet.” This past Saturday, MOCHA was set to open an exhibit called “A Child’s View from Gaza,” featuring drawings and paintings made by Palestinian children living in Gaza. The exhibit includes many graphic scenes of war—sprawled, bloody bodies, crying children, burning buildings, tanks and planes firing missiles. The art ranges from rudimentary drawings by young children to more detailed, elaborate pieces. Most of the works were done in 2009 after a fierce round of clashes that included weeks of Israeli bombing of Gaza in what Israel characterized as an effort to halt rocket attacks on Israel and arms import into Gaza. Then on September 8, after months of planning the exhibit with sponsoring group Middle East Children’s Alliance, MOCHA cancelled the event. Board member Randolph Belle said the decision was based on the violent nature of some of the work in the show. “Basically we got some [calls from] concerned parents, the Jewish Federation and MOCHA community members,” Belle said, "stating that they didn’t feel that children should be exposed to these images in a public space.” On Friday, dozens of protestors in front of MOCHA, organized in part by the San Francisco-based Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC), shouted “Shame!” and accused the museum’s board of censorship. “It is very hurtful,” said AROC Youth Program Coordinator Lubna Morrar, who spoke at the protest. “We had been working with [MOCHA] for so long, and if they felt like they didn’t want to take on this project then they shouldn’t have even implemented it to begin with.” As speakers took turns at the bullhorn, emotions in the crowd ran high. Robin Dubner, a member of San Francisco Voice for Israel, was part of a small but vocal presence supporting MOCHA’s decision to cancel the exhibit. She waved an Israeli flag over the heads of speakers and demonstrators. At one point, she came too close to the protesters and was confronted with shoves, harsh words and threats of calling the police. Ziad Abbas, associate director of the Berkeley-based Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA), said that during the six months of preparing for the exhibit, which was to include various workshops, “the staff was very supportive, very helpful.” But just two weeks ago, Abbas said, MECA was informed that the event would not take place. He said the MOCHA representative who called him did not explain in detail—"just that it is an internal issue they are having,” Abbas said. “But we know, we understand that the moment you talk about Palestine, or mention Palestine, you will find the pro-Israeli groups try to put the pressure to silence or to shut you down.” Abbas said he understands MOCHA was under pressure from various groups. “That is what we saw on the Internet later,” he said. “Many people supporting Israel were congratulating each other after the museum cancelled the exhibition.” Specifically, Abbas and his associates point to both the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Jewish Federation of the East Bay as playing a role in the exhibit’s cancellation. Faith Metlzer, of San Francisco Voice for Israel, said she was relieved the exhibit would not be shown at the museum. “The art has anti-Semitic, as well as anti-American, symbolism,” she said. “To me, things like this—bombs with Jewish stars on them—it’s just a way of demonizing our people and our religion.” Metlzer said she worried about how the exhibit would have affected Jewish children in Oakland. “How would you go around with a Jewish star on a T-shirt or on a chain, when the symbol of your people and of your religion has become a hate symbol?” she asked. Adam Grossberg no http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/09/23/oakland-nurses-march-and-strike-in-protest-of-benefit-cuts/ http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/09/23/oakland-nurses-march-and-strike-in-protest-of-benefit-cuts/#comments Fri, 23 Sep 2011 20:03:39 +0000 Michelle Konstantinovsky http://oaklandnorth.net/?p=60789 An estimated 21,000 healthcare workers joined picket lines, attended rallies or simply stayed home from work in protest of proposed employee benefit cuts at 40 hospitals across California.]]> http://oaklandnorth.net/2011/09/23/oakland-nurses-march-and-strike-in-protest-of-benefit-cuts/feed/ 0 AFL-CIO,Alta Bates Hospital,Alta Bates Summit,budget cuts,California Nurses Association,Children's Hospital and Research Center at Oakland,Children's Hospital Oakland,CNA,health care,hospitals,Kaiser,kaiser oakland An estimated 21,000 healthcare workers joined picket lines, attended rallies or simply stayed home from work in protest of proposed employee benefit cuts at 40 hospitals across California. Thousands of registered nurses, clad in bright red scrubs, marched across Oakland Thursday in what organizers called the largest nursing strike in U.S. history. An estimated 21,000 healthcare workers joined picket lines, attended rallies or simply stayed home from work in protest of proposed employee benefit cuts at 38 hospitals across California. “Nurses and health care providers have to hold the line,” said Liz Jacobs, a registered nurse and spokesperson for the California Nurses Association (CNA), which organized the strike in collaboration with National Union of Health Workers (NUHW). “If they start getting their health care taken away little by little until they have a meaningless health care plan, then everyone is at risk in our society. We are the safety net.” While the strike targeted Sutter Health and Kaiser Permanente, two of the largest hospital chains in California, hundreds of nurses from Children’s Hospital and Research Center at Oakland also bolstered picket lines—making yesterday’s event the third nurses strike affecting Children’s Hospital this year. The strike took place amid heated contract negotiations between nurses’ unions and several California hospitals that have proposed a number of sweeping, cost-cutting measures such as wage reductions and controversial health plan and pension fund changes. In the East Bay, striking nurses held concurrent rallies at dozens of different hospitals, their brightly colored picket signs and matching scrubs lining city sidewalks like wide swathes of red ribbon. At Sutter’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, a sound system blasted oldies as nurses danced, sang and embraced one another jovially. Union leaders, including AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka, took turns addressing the crowd and reiterating the various reasons behind the strike. At Children’s Hospital, nurses have been without a contract for more than a year as they continue to protest a proposed health plan change that the union says would, among other provisions, increase nurses' out-of-pocket costs by $5,000 per year. The plan is so expensive, the nurses say, that they wouldn’t be able to afford to bring their own children into the hospital for care. But representatives from Children’s Hospital, which according to the hospital's figures  lost $16 million in 2009 alone (http://www.childrenshospitaloakland.org/about/documents/Annual-Report-2009_Childrens-Hospital-Research-Center.pdf)  because of declining contributions, argue that the cuts are inevitable. “They are a key part of managing our expenses,” said Nancy Shibata, the chief nursing officer at Children’s. “CNA is asking for things that don’t make sense during these economic times.” Most of the hospital’s other employees have already agreed to the health plan change, she said. Though hardly in the same grim financial situation as Children’s Hospital, both Sutter and Kaiser cite economic hardship as the reason behind their cost-cutting proposals — a claim that the nurses and their unions staunchly reject. “We’re not talking about a little mom and pop grocery store here,” said Chuck Idelson, CNA’s communications director, noting that Sutter and Kaiser reaped substantial profits last year., according to the companies’ own reports. While Kaiser netted $2 billion in gains last year, (http://xnet.kp.org/newscenter/pressreleases/nat/2011/021111q4financials.html) Sutter reported $878 million (http://www.sutterhealth.org/annualreport/financials-operations.cfm) in profits. Nurses claim Sutter is asking for 150 concessions, including $20-per-hour wage cuts for new nursing graduates and the elimination of paid sick days. Ann Gaebler, a neonatal intensive care nurse at Sutter’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley, said that eliminating paid sick leave is akin to forcing nurses to work while sick—a dangerous prospect in the nursing world. “I work with premature infants who come into this world immuno-comprised,” Gaebler said. Michelle Konstantinovsky no