Palomar Medical Center Nurses Vote to Hold One-Day Strike Next Month
Nurses at Palomar Medical Center in Escondido voted yesterday in favor of a one-day strike next month "as part of their effort to gain union representation," the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The action was supported by 86% of the nurses, according to a spokesperson (San Diego Union-Tribune, 5/23). Under a state law (AB 1281) that took effect Jan. 1, union supporters may approve unionization by gathering signatures from a majority of nurses, removing the need for an election (California Healthline, 2/5). But officials with the Palomar Pomerado health district said last month that they would not recognize the results of the signature campaign (California Healthline, 2/7). Gil Taylor, vice president for human resources for the district, said that district officials "believe the strike may be illegal," adding that the district will try to dissuade the group from striking because of "concerns about public health and safety." Ted Cahill, a CNA organizer, said that the union was "confident the proposed strike is legal," adding that the group would give the hospital a 10-day notice before conducting the strike (San Diego Union-Tribune, 5/23).
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