closed captioning by closed captioning services,inc we are the union! some 4,000 bay area nurses are on strike now. they walked off this morning at eight different hospitals. good morning i'm kristen sze. and i'm cheryl jennings. the striking nurses says sutter health wants to be concessions. >> katie marzullo joins us live from oakland. >> reporter: a few dozen nurses are holding the line chanting and circling the sidewalk in front of the

hospital. inside the has tall assures us they are fully staffed thanks to -- temporary nurses some flown in from across the country. decked out in red, striking nurses aim to be seen and heard. the biggest banner reads: rn's on strike for safe patient care. nurses say the hospital is trying to take away their paid sick time which would force them to come to work sick which would jeopardize the health of the patient. >> we are offering nurses 35 days of paid time off every year almost two months in a year that's enormous amount of paid time off people can use that time for sick time. >> we have vacation, sick and holiday. what they are proposing is taking away 10 days. >> reporter: with thousands of nurses on strike the hospital was forced to bring in temporary nurses. the same scenario in september

when a patient died i have an temporary nurse wrongly administered her medication. the hospital is confident in the ability of its temporary staff. but says this is the worst time of year for a strike. >> everybody is here because they are sick. nobody wants to be in the hospital at christmas. >> all they had to do was he move the take aways and we wouldn't strike they sat silent. >> reporter: both sides agree the nurses are well paid. the hospital says the a increases 21% over the last three years are not sustain table. >> we can't continue at that rate. we are trying to slow down and have honest negotiations. >> reporter: because the temporary nurses are began need minimum hours they will work -- are guaranteed minimum hours they will work tomorrow and the regular nurses will be locked out. katie marzullo, abc7 news. a couple dozen occupy

campers remain at civic center park after a night in which protesters and police clashed violently. amy hollyfield is live in berkeley. after all that tents are still there >> reporter: yeah, the city officials say they want this place cleared out because of an increase in violence. look, there are still about 20 tents and protesters all still being allowed to occupy this downtown plaza crews move in last night to remove empty tents. that's when the situation got violent. protesters say they just wanted their stuff back. when they surrounded a public works crew as it tried to haul away tents from the occupy berkeley camp, employees got nervous. >> they were calling for our help, certainly they were scared, because they are not peace officers. crowd management can be some of the most dangerous work that officers do. >> it was a nonviolent

retrieval of stolen equipment. >> reporter: berkeley police used force twice overnight at the occupy berkeley site. the incidents were captured by a protester and posted on youtube. police say video doesn't tell the whole story. and they reacted this way in order to protect city employees. >> small context of what is happening, officers are responding to what they are seeing people moving forward, ordering them back. that's why the batons were used. >> it was brutal and really just wrong. there was nothing humane about it. >> reporter: police made would arrests. officers did not clear out all of the tents, just a couple even though the city had issued a warning in the to camp past 10 p.m.. >> we are going to continue to hope that people will voluntarily decide it is best for them to leave. >> the way i see it, it is

probably more people are going to show up from other areas this isn't going to be a stand down, leave situation. >> reporter: the arrests were for being , drug possession and resisting arrest. the the two arrested arein custody. -- the city won't say when it might sweep in and clear it out it wouldn't make sense to give people that date and time. as you heard, they are hoping they won't have. amy hollyfield, abc7 news. the government's weekly jobs report shows the market stretch stpheupbg. labor department says the -- strengthening. the labor department says the number applying for unemployment benefits dropped. new applications fell by 4,000, the third straight weekly drop. job cuts have fallen sharply since the recession employers are slow to start hiring. >> in the past hour president obama tried to put a human face on to the soon to expire payroll tax cut in nine days americans will see

paychecks shrink unless congress breaks its stalemate. one new offer is on the table today. terry mcsweeney is here with more. >> reporter: this morning democrats and republicans are talking but they are not talking to each other. president obama is turning up the heat and getting a little hot under the collar himself. surrounded by people who would be hurt by a payroll tax increase president obama talked about e-mails, tweets and phone calls the white house has received from other americans since he requested them on tuesday. >> the president: $40 means dinner out with a child who is home for christmas, new pair of shoes, tank of gas, a charitable donation. >> reporter: here's was january 1st, if nothing gets done: payroll tax will go up 2% for 160 million americans. people making $50,000 per year will see $19 less per week in their paycheck, $1,000 less per year. three million receiving long term jobless benefits will

begin to hughes weekly payments that average under $300. 48 million medicare patients could be impacted by a 27% reduction in reimbursements to doctors. leaders of both parties took their case to the american people today with dueling press conferences. >> two month extension perpetuates the -- >> let us not have a conference while we hold hostage, 160 million americans with fear that their tax will go up. >> reporter: one republican took a swipe at the president for taking a break to go christmas shopping. >> i saw the president yesterday doing his christmas shopping. he brought his dog with i am we are here. he would bring his dog up here we are pet-friendly. >> reporter: some say criticizing the president for christmas shopping is below the belt. but obviously, not beneath the

beltway. one house negotiator is floating a three month tension instead of two. mitch mcconnell is urging republicans in the thousand to approve the two month deal and he's one of their own. overseas nearly 70 are dead following several coordinated explosions in iraq's capital city. 14 bomb attacks targeting mostly shiite neighborhoods in baghdad days after the last american troops left the country. nearly 200 people have been injured. the blasts are the worst violence to hit the country in months and come amid a major government crisis between sunni and shiite politicians. in the bay area services came to a standstill and patients had to be turned away at marin general after a power outage left patients and other customers in the dark. a third-party construction crew dug into an electrical line near the hospital before 9:00 this morning.

back-up generators did kick in and power was restored 10:00. ambulances were diverted for an hour. patients are now being accepted again. you need to check your medicine cabinet. a pharmaceutical company recalls certain pain relievers. >> wal-mart pulls a popular baby formula from shelves after the death of a newborn and illness of another baby. water main break in the east bay damages a home and leaves dozens

an accident involving a chp over on a motorcycle snarled traffic near fremont in morning. the cop was helping another officer escort a semiwith a wide load on the freeway when his motorcycle was rear-ended by a car. the impact rushed the officer across the northbound lanes to the center divide. the officer was walking after the accident but went to the hospital as a precaution. east bay amusement park will pay tribute to a fallen vallejo police officer and the young people he cared so much for. officer james capoot was gunned down november 17th while pursuing a robbery suspect. six flags honoring hisis memory by holding a no cost admission event to holiday in the park today. students, police staff and member of the vallejo high girls team capoot once coached

will all receive free admission. >> >> crews working to restore water to 80 after a water main break this morning. it started as a small leak about 4:20. five minutes later it blew and the force of the water broke a window of a nearby apartment. 6th avenue to east 19th street is closed now. utility district expects water restored by 2:00 this afternoon. federal health officials say another missouri baby may have contracted a rare bacterial infection after drinking a certain type of baby formula throw this latest child recovered. wal-mart stores across the country pull the infamil newborn powder formula from the shelves after a 10 day old died. it is unclear if the formula is related to the baby's death. wal-mart made the move out of caution. the rare microorganism that kill the infant can grow in powdered formula but the batch in question tested negative.

parents should talk to pediatricians about which formula is right. >> immunocompromised baines would be the ones we would be focused on as far as changing them to a liquid formula versus powdered. >> the infamil cans that wal-mart has pulled have lot number: zp1k 7go on the bottom. customers can return thecans for exchange or recall. we have the lot number on northbound northbound.com. johnson & johnson is asking retailers to remove 12 million bottles of motrin from store shelves they say the coated cab lets may dissolve as quickly as intended when you get closer to expiration dates. -- there might be a delay in pain relief. the recall covers motrin iv 24 and 24 plus 6 count coated

tablets. the company says the cause under investigation. it is much cleaner today. >> it is drier cleaner air that is going to lead to frosty nights around the bay area not just in our inland neighborhoods if you are traveling to denver, there's delays and flight cancellations. >> chrtmas came early for hundreds of children in san leandro in honor of one heroic police officer. mack lyon. a timely bible lesson the lord's way. churches of christ in the to have you visit one of worship assemblies. just do that? you will. week, will you?

sky 7 hd is over 46th and west where firefighters are on the scene of a car fire. the chief says they found a gunshot victim inside that car. they believe the victim was shot, crashed the car and then the car caught on fire. we have a crew on the way we'll bring you the latest on abc7news.com. it does seem warmer. >> a little bit good thing that was just a car fire not a grass fire because the winds are pretty stout and they could have got out of control the fire could have. in denver, i wanted to show you video here's the airport where 38 flight cancellations today and flight arrival delays dropping down to 36 minutes. they were up to an hour and a half earlier that is good news. if you are flying to the east

today tough go through denver international so make sure you use our flight tracker at abc7news.com. normally it is at the bottom we've moved it to the top you can see some of nine inches of snow that fell there. at home beautiful picture of the golden gate bridge look at how clean the air is now. check out wind gusts near 30 miles per hour, nap , fairfield, oakland, mountain view, half moon bay, -- 20 around concord, 24 livermore. they took a breather the last couple of hours now the sun is up and overturning the atmosphere the gusts will be back with us the better part of the afternoon. right now check out these temperatures, 61 napa, everybody else in the mid to upper 50s around the monterey bay and inland mid to upper 50s sunny, mild today, clear, calmer and much cooler some places like north bay valleys, 20 to 25 cooler tonight thane was this morning. still have a chance of rain,

24 hours closer and still looks possible. sad we have toold on to the hope of rain next week we haven't had any this month. most of news the low 60s monterey bay the same temperatures even as you head in upper 50s to low 60s 63 salinas. as far as the state quiet mid to upper 50s throughout the central valleys, santa anas kicking in around l.a. mid 60s san diego dry 34 in tahoe. probably the coldest night all season widespread fog inland valleys everybody below 32°, scattered frost around the bay and out to the coast low to upper 30s. couple areas of high pressure from alaska reinforcing air the difference between high pressure and cold front extension of low pressure tight that's why the winds are so fastow night that will relax and allow temperatures to -- drop greatly cold tahoe today 34 temperatures with no snow this weekend mid to upper

40s southern california breezy today and again tomorrow and look at that saturday, sunday, low to mid 70s in l.a. and san diego. here's a look at our forecast, cooler tomorrow afternoon by four degrees most of us in the mid to upper 50s warmer saturday and sunday just a tease that system is on the way monday increasing clouds and cooler, cooler tuesday with our best chance of measurable rain, wednesday. it is not a spare the air. >> but they are asking people to voluntarily -- >> absolutely. so they don't have to call it. >> thank you. >> hads of kids in the east bay are getting an early christmas present thanks to bikes for tykes. 280 children received new bikes this morning. the program is a collaboration between the san leandro police officers association and the davis street family resource center. the officer took it upon himself to start the program two years ago there are 1300

children envelope ofed in the food program the bikes -- were handed out in a lotly. >> another holiday give' way in the south bay. jubilee outreach pan in san jose handing out 25 pound boxes of free food and 10 pound boxes of avon products. i was a collaboration between rap artist mc hammer and christian group. bags can be picked up until this afternoon the pantry is located in san jose. a look at some of the bay area's holiday gifts. >> stay

lady gaga knows music but does she know headphones? michael finney will test the newest headphones including some backed by celebrities. maybe you are window shopping on your smartphone how much are you buying with it? new trends in seib better shop later today. -- >> this holiday weekend there are a lot of fun things to do. >> don sanchez has what's hot.

>> reporter: you mean grinch wants to steal christmas? the dr. seuss class six comes to life on stage for the holidays in the golden gate theater. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: he sings with soul he brings his unique style down taunt napa friday night. saturday -- a christmas eve treat. >> [ unintelligible ] >> reporter: a holiday classic,; producing of a christmas carol winds up this week. ♪ >> reporter: it is bring it on the high school cheerleading musical based on the film. the show makes its way east to broadway. >> i love christmas. i can't get enough of the music. >> reporter: jewish comedy on christmas in a chinese restaurant.

a san francisco tradition. yes we can is a homegrown theatrical circus with acrobats and talented circus performance, new holiday favorite. don sanchez, abc7 news. >> so much to do. >> so interesting. thanks for joining us today. >> who wants to be a millionaire is next