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California Pacific Medical Center Files Temporary Restraining Order Against SEIU-UHW For Noise and Entrance Violations

Posted on: Monday, 26 September 2005, 18:01 CDT

California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) filed a motion for a Temporary Restraining Order Friday in San Francisco Superior Court against the Service Employees International Union, United Health Care West (SEIU-UHW) to stop picketers from breaking noise ordinance laws and blocking entrances to hospital facilities. SEIU-UHW is in its thirteenth day of an open-ended strike at CPMC.

"Our first priority is safe, quality patient care," said Grant Davies, Sr. Vice President of Operations. "The unlawful behavior and excessive noise exhibited by outside protesters hired by the union led us to take this action because it's extremely disruptive to the healing process of our patients, and a huge nuisance to our neighbors."

In its complaint against SEIU, CPMC alleged rampant violations of local laws. The Medical Center also sought an emergency order against SEIU to stop some of their noise violations and other conduct, which the assigned judge did not grant. The Court, however, did not issue any ruling on the merits of that complaint. "Given the substantial evidence CPMC has gathered demonstrating the merits of the complaint, we have confidence that CPMC ultimately will prevail on its lawsuit against SEIU," states Davies.

Janet Campbell, a neighbor who lives across the street from the California campus, says "the noise generated by the strikers starts at dawn, before it is even light outside, and continues until very late at night. It's causing problems for everyone in the neighborhood." Additionally, protesters blocked access to hospital facilities for patients seeking services, and have also created traffic jams around the medical center campuses.

"We aren't trying to stop the picketers from protesting," Davies adds, "but we want them to do this in a lawful, orderly manner."

California Pacific Medical Center continues to hope that a resolution can be reached with SEIU-UHW, as it recently did with the California Nurses Association. SEIU-UHW represents fewer than 800 food service technicians, housekeepers and patient care assistants at CPMC. The Medical Center has made a very generous offer to SEIU-UHW, including a 12% wage increase over 3 years (the first 4% of which has already been implemented despite union objections), continued fully paid health care benefits for workers and their families, improved training and education opportunities, as well as pension and retiree health care enhancements.

The dispute revolves around the union's demand that CPMC give in to organizing language that would enable the union to grow membership. "This union has engaged in a public misinformation campaign against CPMC and its parent corporation, Sutter Health, and this strike is one more effort on its part to achieve its objectives, regardless of the cost or manner," claims Davies. "We will continue to advocate for our patients' rights. Patients and their families are telling us that the union's behavior is hurting, not helping, its cause."

About California Pacific Medical Center

California Pacific Medical Center, a Sutter Health affiliate, is one of the largest private, not-for-profit teaching medical centers in California. We are a tertiary referral center providing access to leading-edge medicine while delivering the best possible personalized care. CPMC provides a wide variety of services, including, acute, post-acute and outpatient hospital care; home care and hospice services; preventive and complementary care; and health education. Through our Medical Education Program and our Research Institute, physicians at California Pacific Medical Center are able to bring health care innovation to the bedside.

Source: Business Wire

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