Stanford Hospital's Big Union Busting Move

Stanford and Lucile Packard Hospitals abruptly withdrew recognition of their workers' union on July 29, claiming a merger of SEIU Local 715 with United Healthcare Workers-West in 2006 dissolved their responsibility to bargain.

Two days later Stanford hospital guards physically barred Assemblywoman Sally Lieber from entering the hospital to deliver an "open letter" to administrators. The letter urged management to remain neutral and abstain from intimidating workers seeking representation.

In an interview with Indybay, Lieber, who is Speaker Pro Tempore of the California Assembly, said that hospital management is attempting to discredit a long-term labor union and that such action does nothing to advance patient care. The Assemblywoman and several union members were stopped by a wall of security guards who refused them entry when guards saw their SEIU insignia purple t-shirts on Thursday.

The union represents about 1,450 housekeepers, food service workers, nursing assistants, phlebotomists, unit secretaries, transporters and employees in non-technical and non-professional roles at the two Palo Alto hospitals.

An SEIU-UHW representative said that Stanford and Lucile Packard caregivers voted for representation by SEIU Local 715 in 1998, but that the hospital was hostile from the start. When the union's parent, Service Employees International Union, merged five locals including Local 715 into one, Stanford used it as an excuse to step up its anti-union activity.

Assemblywoman Lieber continues to urge hospital management to recognize the existing union.

"I'm hopeful that Stanford Hospital won't spend time and healthcare dollars fighting their own patient care workers.  It has been ten years since SEIU first organized workers at Stanford Hospital; now it's time for the hospital's administration to work constructively with the union and community leaders," Lieber told Indybay.