Y’all. I was getting dressed for work, trying to figure out breakfast and get out the door, when a recruiter called me about a possible surgical tech strike assignment.
Northern California. Around $70 an hour. A guaranteed 60-hour week.
Honey, she had my attention.
I’ve worked strike assignments in California before, so this wasn’t a brand-new conversation for me. I love visiting California. I just wouldn’t want to live there. But flying out for a short assignment, making some money, and having a little adventure? Yes, ma’am. Tell me more.
Here’s the thing, though. There’s a whole lot of space between “the recruiter called” and “I’m on the plane.” The rate is the exciting part. The hours, the paperwork, the travel setup, and whether you can actually step away from your life at home are the parts that decide if it’s a good idea.
So let’s talk about all of it. If you’d rather watch me think it through in real time, here’s the full video:
What Is a Surgical Tech Strike Assignment?
A strike assignment means temporarily working at a facility that’s going through a labor dispute. In my case, the recruiter wanted to know if I’d be available to work as a surgical tech if the anticipated strike moved forward.
That “if” matters.
This was a conversation about availability. Not a confirmed job, not a confirmed hospital, not a confirmed start date. The agency was still waiting on the ten-day notice. So yes, I was excited, but excitement isn’t a contract. A phone call is one step. Written terms and booked travel are another.
And just so we’re clear: the rate I’m sharing is what was discussed on that call. It’s not a standing offer for everybody reading this.
$70 an Hour Sounds Good. What Does It Actually Include?
The second she said $70 an hour and 60 hours a week, my brain went straight to the math. Of course it did. I’m a surgical professional, but I also have bills and goals.
This is where you slow down and get specific:
- Is $70 the base rate or a blended rate?
- What’s the overtime rate?
- How exactly are the guaranteed hours defined?
- What happens to the guarantee if the strike ends early?
Those are different questions, and I want real answers before I start planning around that paycheck.
A quick note on California overtime, because I mentioned it in the video and want to be accurate here: California generally requires daily overtime for nonexempt employees after eight hours, but exemptions and alternative scheduling rules can change how that applies. Don’t assume every California shift pays the same way. Confirm what applies to your assignment. (California Department of Industrial Relations overtime FAQ)
I also tossed around some other numbers while I was thinking out loud on camera. That was me being excited, not a pay package. The number the recruiter actually quoted was about $70 an hour, and that’s the number I’d take back to her for clarification.
My advice? Ask for a written breakdown: hourly rate, overtime, expected schedule, how the guaranteed hours work, and any other compensation. I want to know what I’m agreeing to before I leave Jacksonville.
A 60-Hour Week Is Still a 60-Hour Week
Would I consider it? Yes.
Am I going to pretend 60 hours is light work? Absolutely not.
From my experience, strike assignments are work. There can be stretches where you’re waiting for people to get organized, and then once you’re in the OR, you are working. That mix wears on you. Waiting around somewhere unfamiliar isn’t the same as resting.
There are a lot of moving parts. You’re learning a new environment, working with people you just met, and adjusting to whatever is in front of you. The rate is attractive, but your body still has to do those hours.
So ask: How will the 60 hours be scheduled? Is there call? How long is the assignment expected to last? An hourly number doesn’t tell you what your days will actually look like.
Ask About Flights, Hotels, Food, and Transportation
Part of why I get excited about these is that on past strike assignments, travel, lodging, and transportation were arranged for us.
I’ve even shared a hotel room on a strike assignment. The woman I roomed with and I got close, and we kept connecting whenever new strike opportunities came up. That part was genuinely fun for me.
But my past experience doesn’t tell you what your next agency will provide. Before accepting, I’d ask:
- Who books and pays for the flight?
- Is the hotel room private or shared?
- How do I get from the airport to the hotel?
- Is transportation provided between the hotel and the hospital?
- Are meals provided, reimbursed, or on me?
- What happens to my travel if the assignment changes or ends early?
I’m here for the adventure. I also want to know where I’m sleeping and how I’m getting to work. Get those answers before you start packing.
Keep Your Credentials and Profiles Ready
The recruiter asked me to redo my surgical skills checklist. That’s normal when you’ve worked with an agency before but your profile needs a refresh.
This is exactly why I keep telling surgical techs and first assistants: keep your paperwork together. When you renew a certification, update the agencies you actually work with. Keep your resume current. Know where your documents live.
Depending on the role and facility, that might include:
- Your CST or CSFA certification
- BLS and any other required life-support credentials
- A current skills checklist
- An updated resume
I’m not saying you need every certification under the sun. I’m saying know what the opportunity requires and make sure your documents are current.
And no, I don’t sit down and update every agency profile in existence. That would have me doing paperwork all day. I focus on the agencies I’m actively talking to and the opportunities I’d realistically take.
When you’re prepared, the call goes a whole lot smoother. You’re not starting from scratch. You already have a foundation.
I Pay Attention to How Recruiters Follow Up
I don’t have one recruiter who handles everything for me. But I notice who follows up, who sends what I asked for, and who keeps things moving.
If we’ve talked and you keep communicating clearly, I see that. I like knowing someone is actually working on the opportunity instead of leaving me wondering what happened.
I’ve also worked with a smaller agency where my pay turned into a mess. That stuck with me. When payroll is wrong, you’re the one trying to straighten it out while still doing your job.
That doesn’t mean small agencies are bad and big ones are good. It means I care about reliability, communication, and whether a company can actually deliver what it promised.
Before I agree to anything, I want a clear point of contact for payroll and travel problems. A friendly recruiter is nice. Getting paid correctly matters a whole lot more.
Applying Is One Step. Compliance Is Another.
In the video, I mentioned using platforms like Vivian to connect with recruiters. I like having my information in one place instead of starting over on a new website every time.
But don’t assume one profile replaces every agency’s onboarding. Ask what they can pull from it and what you still need to complete.
Same with drug screens, physicals, and other compliance documents. Just because you did it for a previous assignment doesn’t mean it’s still accepted. Have the agency confirm what works for this one.
I like a simple process. I also want it complete. Finding out at the last minute that something’s missing will turn an exciting opportunity into a headache real quick.
Can You Actually Leave When the Call Comes?
This is the part people skip.
You might want the assignment. You might have the experience. But can you actually step away from your current job and your responsibilities at home?
When I recorded this, I was working a lighter local schedule. That gave me room to consider a short assignment, as long as I could arrange coverage and handle things at home.
If you’re full-time somewhere or already under contract, your situation is different. Check your commitments and any leave or scheduling requirements before you say yes.
I’m not going to tell anybody to disappear from their job because a recruiter called with a bigger number. Figure out whether it fits first.
I Stayed Local Because I Wanted to Be There for My Son
I want people to understand something. I didn’t stop traveling because I fell out of love with this career. I stayed local because I’m a mom, and I wanted to be available for Braylin.
He was transitioning from homeschool to high school, and being present mattered to me. That changed the kind of schedule I wanted and the work I was willing to take.
I tried a local hospital position and realized that environment wasn’t what I needed in that season. Surgery centers and private practice doctors gave me more room to build a schedule that worked for my family.
Did that mean making less than I could traveling? Yes. But I was making a decision about my whole life, not just my paycheck.
Now that Braylin is heading toward graduation, I’m thinking about my next chapter. He gets a new adventure, and honestly, I want one too. That’s part of why I’m getting my travel profiles ready again.
I Don’t Want My Life to Depend on the Next Contract
Travel can be fun. The money can be good. You see new cities and work with new teams.
But you’re still there to work.
On my travel assignments, call was part of the deal. I wasn’t sightseeing whenever I felt like it. I had a schedule and responsibilities.
I also learned that if you build your life around travel income, you can end up feeling like you have to keep traveling just to maintain it. That’s not the life I wanted year-round.
There were years I took two contracts and spent the rest of the time figuring out income closer to home. I wanted time with my son, my animals, and my garden. My mom helped while I was gone, but those responsibilities didn’t disappear just because I got on a plane.
That’s why I keep building income alongside my surgical career. I want to choose an assignment because it fits my goals, not because I feel like I have to take whatever comes next.
So, Would I Take Another Strike Assignment?
Yes. With the right details and the right timing.
I enjoy the experience. I like seeing somewhere different. And $70 an hour is enough to make me ask more questions.
But I’m weighing the pay, the hours, the travel setup, and my responsibilities together. I also want to understand the labor dispute itself and make a deliberate decision about working during a strike. That’s a personal call, and it deserves real thought.
If you’re considering surgical tech strike assignments, get your paperwork ready, get the terms in writing, and be honest about your availability. Being excited is fine. I was excited too. Just make sure you understand exactly what you’re saying yes to.
Would you take a 60-hour strike assignment at $70 an hour? What would you need to know before you said yes? Tell me in the comments.
P.S. If you want more real talk about pay, travel work, first assisting, and building a life that works for you, take a look around SurgicalTechCareer.com. Take what helps and leave the rest.