Around 50 nurses picketed at 7 a.m. Wednesday in front of the California Pacific Medical Center on California Street in San Francisco to send a message to Sutter Health, “We want a contract now!” the nurses shouted as buses and cars passed by honking for support.

The nurses’ strike affects 15 hospitals in Northern California in the Sutter Health group, many of which are in the Bay Area with two in San Francisco.

Besides the California Pacific Medical Center, nurses walked out at St. Lukes Hospital in San Francisco. Over 5,000 nurses are expected to strike according to the California Nurses Association.

The California Nurses Association has been in meetings with Sutter Health since April to negotiate a contract. There have been 18 meetings with no resolution.

“None of our patient care proposals were never addressed in any of the meetings,” Jonica Brooks, a registered nurse at California Pacific Medical Center, said. “When we have breaks, we want to make sure there are enough nurses to watch our patients.”

Other issues mentioned in the negotiations that stalled the process included a reduction in health benefits and retirement security for the nurses.

The strike will last until Friday at 7 a.m. “We hope we can get back in and negotiate a contract soon,” Brooks said.