Hospital Workers Approve Union; Ballots Contested

Nurses, pharmacists, dietitians and other medical professionals at San Diego General Hospital have voted, 32-30, to form a union, but the outcome is uncertain because of three contested ballots.

The vote came at an election last Friday on whether the 87 employees eligible for membership should be represented by the California Nurses Assn.

However, a National Labor Relations Board investigation of the contested ballots will take at least another month, said Bob Petering, acting resident officer for the NLRB in San Diego. Management and employees disagree on whether the three persons who cast the ballots were eligible to participate in the vote.

Once NLRB completes that investigation, final resolution of the union issue could be further delayed if either side contests the result or if protests about other aspects of the election are filed, Petering said.

Formerly called Physicians & Surgeons Hospital, San Diego General is a Southeast San Diego facility that serves a largely poor community. It has had financial troubles since it was built in 1972, and last year was sold to a group of investors.

Michele Molotsky, a union organizer, said employees at the hospital sought union help because of fears over continuing budget problems after its sale. In addition to salaries, other issues are potential layoffs and personnel policies such as the lack of a “career ladder” to give staff members incentive to stay, Molotsky said.

“We realize that we’re not going to make all the monetary gains we want, but we’ll make some,” said Vicki Cavataio, a nurse in the intensive care unit. “We need protection from whimsical policy applications.”

Hospital management declined to discuss the matter.

“We’re going to reserve judgment or comment until after the results of the challenges are handled by legal counsel,” said Norm Martin, administrator and chief financial officer for the hospital.