NAMED NATIONAL FOUR-YEAR DAILY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR FOR 2020-21 IN THE COLLEGE MEDIA ASSOCIATION’S PINNACLE AWARDS
Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021
Volume 157 No. 42 SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
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COVID-19
INFOGRAPHIC BY BRYANNA BARTLETT & CHRISTINA CASILLAS; SOURCE: JANE CARTER, LABOR ECONOMIST AND HEALTHCARE UNIONS’ NEGOTIATIONS TEAM MEMBER
Nurses fight proposed pay cut Health care worker strike averted, potential tiered wage plan rejected By Amani Hamed STAFF WRITER
Kaiser Permanente nurses reached a deal with the Oaklandbased healthcare conglomerate on Nov. 13, two days before they were set to strike. The healthcare workers had been demanding Kaiser to scrap its proposed two-tier wage system, which would bring new hires in at 30% less pay than established nurses and nurses who’d been hired six months prior to the new contract taking effect. The Alliance of Health Care Unions and the United Nurses Associations of California / Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) represent thousands of nurses in Southern California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado and Hawaii and represent pharmacists and therapists in Northern California, according to the groups’ websites.
two-tiered wage system proposed by Kaiser to “combat rising costs of healthcare.” “We started bargaining with Kaiser about . . . seven months ago now and the employer was proposing a two-tiered wage system and only 1% every year of the contract,” Carter said in a Zoom call. Carter said the coronavirus exacerbated a nationwide shortage of nurses and Kaiser’s hiring policies would further compound the wage problem. An SJSU faculty member and 30-year Santa Clara Valley Medical Center registered nurse, who wished to remain anonymous for privacy concerns, said for new nurses graduating from programs including SJSU Valley Foundation School of Nursing, employer-to-employee treatment is a greater concern than finding a job with adequate pay. “You’re not going to stay at a job where you don’t feel supported,
We go into nursing not because of the money, we go into nursing because it’s a calling and we want to care for others. Johanna Noriega 12-year Kaiser Permanente healthcare worker
Labor economist Jane Carter, who was part of the negotiations team, said during contract negotiations with Kaiser the unions were fighting against proposed raises that barely kept up with inflation and the
no matter what you’re being paid,” she said in a Zoom call. “Especially being a new nurse, you need to feel emotionally supported, mentored and that you’re not going to kill a patient . . . then if you feel like you’re
not getting paid what you’re worth, then you can look somewhere else.” Carter said more than 40,000 nurses will be needed in California within the next few years and the state’s education pipeline isn’t keeping up with that demand. “I don’t think lowering the wage 26% of a new nurse fresh out of school is going to help attract those nurses that are crucial and much needed,” she said. Kaiser acknowledged a growing cost of healthcare but amid the COVID-19 pandemic the company remained profitable, bringing in $50 billion in profit in 2020 alone, Carter said. “It’s a behemoth of a company,” Carter said. “[Kaiser’s] saying that it’s because healthcare costs are rising and that labor costs are too high or too difficult to sustain when it’s cutting into [its] profits.” A nj e tt a T h a cke r ay, communications manager for The Alliance of Health Care Unions, said in an email the strike was averted after Kaiser agreed to 3% wage increases in 2021 and 2022, with 2% raises and 2% guaranteed lump-sum bonuses for 2023 and 2024. Thackeray said Kaiser also removed the two-tiered wage system proposal and made raises retroactive to Oct. 1. Johanna Noriega, a nurse since 2001 who has worked with Kaiser in Southern California since 2009, said the pandemic has been especially hard on understaffed-hospital nurses who can’t take time off without making the hospital
operate at considerably unsafe staffing levels. “They’re overworked and they feel underappreciated and they just went through a traumatic year and a half,” Noriega said. “Giving them the opportunity
with nursing programs. Nursing programs used to be run through hospitals rather than universities, she said. “There is not a shortage of students that want to become nurses. Hundreds of students
You’re not going to stay at a job where you don’t feel supported, no matter what you’re being paid. Especially being a new nurse, you need to feel emotionally supported, mentored and that you’re not going to kill a patient. anonymous SJSU faculty member 30-year Santa Clara Valley Medical Center registered nurse
to take off their benefitted time is impossible for the employer because they don’t have the staff.” She also said the potential hiring deterrent in the proposed two-tier wage system would have negatively affected patient outcomes. Noriega said being understaffed “increases our risk for errors and potentially harming patients.” The SJSU faculty member said nurses who put off retiring to help during the COVID-19 crisis are now retiring en masse, burnt out and exhausted. “There was this overwhelming sense of duty. It was unreal,” she said. “It was pretty phenomenal.” The university faculty member added that there’s a nursing shortage not because of a lack of willing nursing students, but because there’s a lack of institutions like SJSU
are denied access to nursing programs because the programs are full,” the anonymous faculty member said. “All hospitals used to have a nursing program, they would hire nurses as needed.” Because nurses are emotionally attached to their jobs, Noriega said employers will often use their drive to care for patients to manipulate them into ending negotiations early. “We go into nursing not because of the money, we go into nursing because it’s a calling and we want to care for others,” she said. “The employer definitely pulls on the heartstrings of those nurses and those healthcare providers or professionals because they know that’s what will get them.” Follow Amani on Twitter @Amani_Marie_
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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WEDNESDAY, DEC. 1, 2021
OPINION
Grammys don’t have merit
ILLUSTRATION BY BIANCA RADER
By Sarah Dwyer SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Grammys announced the list of nominees for 2022’s awards on Nov. 23, sparking another year of angry artists and fans. With ratings falling faster than ever, it’s become clear that the Grammys need to appease lest they be forgotten. The show’s ratings fell by 53% from last year’s 8.8 million viewers during the March 14 award show, according to a March 15 NBC article. In the last two years, artists have been singing a different tune about the music industry’s “biggest night.” In response to the “great snubs” of 2021’s Grammys, Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd announced his boycott of the awards show in a Nov. 24 2020 tweet, although he had one of the most popular albums of 2020. A snub refers to a work or person being denied an award they seem to deserve, often leading viewers to be disgruntled. For example, one might say the actor Leonardo Dicaprio has been snubbed of an Oscar for the past 20 years. “The Grammys remain
corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…,” The Weeknd said in a Twitter post. The singer was referring to the nominations review committees, which many fans and artists also call the “secret committees” because member identities are kept a secret from the public. The committee is responsible for creating a shortlist of nominees per category and then a winner is selected by the Recording Academy’s 12,000 eligible voters. However, many have accused the committees of corruption in recent years. Deborah Dugan, former CEO of the Recording Academy, which presents the Grammys award, filed a 45-page complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) six days before last year’s Grammys, according to a Feb. 13 2020 Rolling Stones article. Dougan alleged that the committees attempted to “bypass a democratic voting structure and that she was fired, in part, for attempting to raise these issues with the organization’s board,” according to the same article. Dugan wrote in her EEOC
complaint that, “members of the board [of trustees] and the secret committees chose artists with whom they have personal or business relationships,” furthering public suspicion of corruption and bias in the
to step up,” according to the same Variety article. The Grammys’ history is clearly dark. But many remain hopeful as the Recording Academy’s new CEO, Harvey Mason Jr.,
Achievement and prestige is not measured by a six-pound golden gramophone. awards show. As if the Recording Academy couldn’t dig its grave any deeper there has also been a history of sexual harassment and misogyny in the music industry. According to a June 3 Statista. com study, an online statistics platform, 2018’s Grammy nominations were 92% male and 8% female. In a Jan. 28 2018 Variety article, then-Record Academy CEO Neil Portnow was asked by Variety about the gender imbalance of 2018’s winners in the midst of the #MeToo movement. In response to the concerns regarding gender representation, Portnow said,“[Women need]
promised change. After the 2021 Grammys, the nominations-review committee was abolished. Mason said the committee was no longer needed because people wanted “a pure, ‘general voting population’ vote,”according to an Oct. 1 Rolling Stones article. Although the “secret committee” has been removed, concerns remain. The Grammys faced even more scandals after singer Marilyn Manson and comedian Louis C.K. received nominations despite longstanding accusations of sexual harassment and sexual assault that have stained both
men for years. Clearly, there is still something wrong if Louis C.K.’s name is listed for best comedy album and not Bo Burnham for his defining contribution to contemporary culture with “Inside.” “We won’t look back at people’s history, we won’t look at their criminal record, we won’t look at anything other than the legality within our rules,” Mason said in a Nov. 23 article by The Wrap. For more than 60 years the Grammys was intended to recognize and honor achievement in the music industry. Progress has been made through a change of leadership, increased transparency of nomination review, updated rules and the diversification of the academy’s members, but the Academy cannot please everyone. Achievement and prestige is not measured by a six-pound golden gramophone. The best way to celebrate the music industry’s work is to continue to support artists despite the fading merit of the awards show. Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahDweezy
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 1, 2021
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Cult-classic game remains timeless adventure By Christopher Nguyen STAFF WRITER
An unknown virus spreads throughout the world as people hope for a vaccine that returns life to normal and corporations profit as infections spread and rights are stripped away. While a similar situation unfolded with the coronavirus pandemic, it was also the plot point of video game, Deus Ex. Deus Ex was developed by Ion Storm and first published by Eidos Interactive on June 22, 2000. The game became a cult classic, sometimes referenced as pin code 0451, and spawned an entire series. I started out the series playing some of its prequels: Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, which were both developed by Eidos Montreal and published by Square Enix on Aug. 23 of 2011 and 2016, respectively. While Deus Ex is more than 20 years old, it’s still playable today but there are some quirks that should be noted throughout the game, including the leveling system. Experience points are important to help a character reach their full potential. In most video games, experience points are gained by defeating enemies with characters that are able to level up and increase their stats, resulting in giving more damage or receiving less damage. experience points by killing enemies In Deus Ex, players don’t gain but through objectives, resulting in the leveling up of skills, which gives the option to be more accurate with a weapon or doing things, like hacking, efficiently. However, not all skills in Deus Ex will be able to be upgraded to their full potential. Developed Another peculiarity players should by: keep in mind is the limited inventory system. In Deus Ex, players have a set Deus Ex Ion Storm amount of inventory space throughout the game and different items take up Rating: First varying amounts of space. Before starting Deus Ex players can released choose between several layers of difficulty. I chose to play in “realistic” mode on my June 22, first playthrough, meaning any enemy could potentially kill the player as soon 2000 as the game begins. Upon difficulty selection, a limited character creation screen appears with
game review
CLASSIFIEDS CROSSWORD PUZZLE
ILLUSTRATION BY AUDREY TSENG
the game protagonist JC Denton, whose appearance, ranging from a limited selection of different skin and hair colors, and skills including hacking, lockpicking or shooting, are customizable. Deus Ex is set in a futuristic world where a leaked virus kills people and sends panic throughout the world. Players are able to control Denton, an agent for the United Nations AntiTerrorist Coalition (UNATCO) who’s stationed at Liberty Island in New York. He is given a briefing of the current situation by his brother, Paul Denton. As the player moves forward with Denton, conspiracies are uncovered, new locations are explored and player choices determine outcomes throughout Deus Ex. Players are given the choice to either kill or knock out their enemies and NPCs,
besides a few exceptions. NPCs are non-playable characters with whom users can talk and interact. NPCs vary in conversation ability, ranging from one-liners to myriad dialogue options that JC can respond back with, potentially determining game outcomes. I tried to play without killing anything until I reached a point where missiles were being chucked at me resulting in an instant game over. While the game is old by today’s standards, if anyone is willing to disregard the quirkiness of Deus Ex it is an experience that many games don’t match.
SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.
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JOKIN’ AROUND “What do you call a pony with a sore throat?”
“A little hoarse.”
SOLUTIONS
ACROSS 1. Hold responsible 6. Jetty 10. Stigma 14. Propelled with oars 15. Wash 16. Meal in a shell 17. Sporting venue 18. Twixt 19. Keen 20. Allowable expense 22. Jar tops 23. Charged particle 24. Young horses 26. Lower the capability 30. What a bee might do 32. Female reproductive organ 33. Amends 37. A feat 38. Winged 39. Bright thought 40. Spying 42. Precipitous 43. Quotes 44. Requital 45. Unit of electrical energy 47. Brassiere 48. Lunch or dinner 49. Practices 56. Celestial bear 57. Midmonth date
58. Leg bone 59. Playlet 60. Monster 61. Lacquer ingredient 62. To be, in old Rome 63. A musical pause 64. Well-known DOWN 1. Actor Pitt 2. Old stories 3. Blown away 4. List of options 5. Rapacity 6. Unadorned 7. Poetic foot 8. Wicked 9. Give a new definition 10. A cylinder in a cave 11. Quibble 12. Corrosives 13. Fishing poles 21. Foot digit 25. In song, the loneliest number 26. Venician magstrate 27. Nights before 28. Coarse file 29. Eloquent 30. Bucks 31. Carry
33. Wings 34. Biblical garden 35. Require 36. Faucets 38. Toward the front 41. Petroleum 42. Spruce up 44. Genus of macaws 45. Tugs 46. Fertile area in a desert 47. Assail 48. Cogitate 50. Border 51. Not his 52. Storage cylinder 53. Incite 54. Citrus fruit 55. Told
Nov. 30
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OPINION
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WEDNESDAY, DEC. 1, 2021
Online shopping eliminates obstacles, hassle Christopher Nguyen STAFF WRITER
As coronavirus restrictions continue to lift and the holiday season begins, gift shopping is on the rise. While many people are going to contemplate either shopping for holiday gifts in person or online, remote shopping is much better and more convenient than in-store shopping. One thing I love about online shopping is that I can shop anywhere, even in the comfort of my own home. As long as someone has a device that can connect to the internet, they can buy things at any time. The best part of online shopping is I don’t have to deal with the frenzied holiday shoppers. Even before the pandemic, shopping in-store during Black Friday was a horrific experience. There was hardly room to avoid physical contact, especially in a line, and the endless sea of people turned cramped stores into body heat-fueled ovens. Online shopping also saves time and is very accessible to people, including myself, who can’t drive. More than 88% of U.S. households drive an average of four miles to their preferred grocery store, according to a January 2016 EPA article. Four miles is a short drive but people living in rural areas may have difficulty accessing a shopping mall.
On average, someone who lives in a rural area has to drive 10 miles to gain access to essential locations including hospitals, let alone a shopping mall, according to an Oct. 12, 2018 Pew Research Center article. Though online shopping is very convenient, quick delivery times can have a negative environmental effect. Josué Velázquez Martínez, director of the Sustainable Logistics Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), set up the “Green Button Project,” which aims to solve environmental concerns caused by online shopping and shipping, according to a June 11, 2019 MIT Sustainable Logistics Initiative article.
ILLUSTRATION BY DAISHA SHERMAN
delivery times. Instead, Velázquez found that 71% of shoppers agreed to a slower shipping time across all demographics, not just those concerned
While many people are going to contemplate either shopping for holiday gifts in person or online, remote shopping is much better and more convenient than in-store shopping. Coppel, a nationwide department store in Mexico, participated in the Green Button Project believing shoppers would sacrifice environmental wellbeing for quicker
ABOUT The Spartan Daily prides itself on being the San Jose State community’s top news source. New issues are published every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday throughout the academic year and online content updated daily. The Spartan Daily is written and published by San Jose State students as an expression of their First Amendment rights. Reader feedback may be submitted as letters to the editor or online comments.
about the environment, according to an April 22 Wirecutter article. Wirecutter is a consumer-oriented review website that was bought by the New York Times
EDITORIAL STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR BRYANNA BARTLETT MANAGING EDITOR SAMANTHA HERRERA EXECUTIVE PRODUCER MADISON FAGUNDES NEWS EDITOR CHRISTINA CASILLAS NEWS EDITOR MADILYNNE MEDINA A&E EDITOR JOVANNA OLIVARES OPINION EDITOR ROYVI HERNANDEZ SPORTS EDITOR ISALIA GALLO SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR SARA WILER
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in 2016, according to its webpage. Many assume that fast delivery times are the appeal for customers to shop online at many stores and companies but if given the option, Velázquez found customers would prefer to wait for their items to arrive. Online shopping isn’t inherently bad for the environment but more online retailers should inform customers about the benefits of longer delivery times and maybe even provide incentives, such as giving a small discount code or store credit. Customers shopping in-store also fail to realize that online shopping provides access to much more information about a specific item and its related products. To give a specific
STAFF WRITERS AMANI HAMED EVAN REINHARDT CHRISTOPHER NGUYEN SAUMYA MONGA DON LE CHRISTINE STEVENS ESTEVAN LOPEZ SANDRA SANTOS-CRUZ PRODUCTION CHIEF MIKE CORPOS NEWS ADVISER RICHARD CRAIG
example, there’s an ample amount of gaming mice available for purchase. If customers want to find out which gaming mice are receiving good reviews, they can easily read any customer reviews from major retail websites including Amazon. If the same shopper wants to dig up more information on a specific gaming mouse that could be suitable for their needs, they can find reviews from enthusiasts on YouTube channels including Hardware Canucks and Rocket Jump Ninja. Hardware Canucks is a Canadian YouTube channel that provides information and in-depth reviews on technology, ranging from computer hardware to gaming peripherals, including wireless headphones and mechanical keyboards.
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Rocket Jump Ninja is an Australian YouTube channel that primarily reviews gaming mice. While an item can be immediately used after being purchased in-store, retail facilities can only hold a specific number of items in a set amount of space, meaning options are limited. Similar to the amount of information given about a specific item, online shopping has just as many, if not more, options for anyone to buy an item not sold in physical stores. While many people will continue shopping in stores, the conveniences that online shopping provides should be embraced.
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