Federal Charges Filed Against Community Medical Centers Management

　　FRESNO, Calif., Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, healthcare workers who are forming a union at Community Medical Centers are filing a series of charges against management over ongoing violations of labor law. CMC will be notified today of the charges.

    Workers and community leaders have attempted to meet with management to discuss a Free and Fair Election Agreement -- an enforceable code of conduct for a secret ballot election that would protect workers'' right to choose for themselves whether to form a union. Management has not responded to workers, and has instead used valuable patient care dollars to hire anti-union consultants.

    The anti-union campaign leaves workers no choice but to file Unfair Labor Practice charges against CMC, the local private nonprofit corporation. The charges include coercion, intimidation and illegal surveillance of pro-union employees.

    Workers will attend tonight''s public hearing of the Fresno Fair Election Commission to document concerns related to management''s violations of federal law and explain why they need a free and fair election agreement with the hospital.

    "We want a constructive relationship with management so we can fix our short-staffing levels, low morale and high turnover," said Lydia Martinez, a licensed vocational nurse in the Children''s Health Center. "We''d rather be talking to management than filing charges to protect our rights. But we''ve got to protect ourselves and our patients."

    Workers will present specific information about mistreatment in the workplace at tonight''s hearing. "All we''re after is respect," said Vic Benocomo, a radiology technician at Community Regional Medical Center. "We need a Free and Fair Election Agreement to protect our rights."

    The hearing will be held from 6-8 p.m. TONIGHT at College Community Congregational Church - Hayden Hall, 5550 N. Fresno St. in Fresno.

    The 145,000-member SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West is the largest hospital and healthcare union in the western United States and represents every type of healthcare worker, including nurses, professional, technical and service classifications. Our mission is to achieve high-quality healthcare for all.

    CONTACT: Mason Stockstill

    (510) 206-8247

    Source: SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West