PORT ANGELES — Olympic Medical Center has won a court case to prevent unionized hospital nurses and other employees from striking over health care costs and staffing levels.
Kitsap County Superior Court Judge M. Karlynn Haberly on Tuesday granted OMC’s motion for summary judgment and ordered a permanent injunction against Service Employes International Union Healthcare 1199 Northwest to strike against the public hospital district.
SEIU 1199NW represents more than 350 nurses, dietary workers and service workers at the Port Angeles hospital.
After mediated contract talks came to a stalemate, SEIU threatened an 18-hour walkout Aug. 11.
$600,000 cost
OMC Chief Executive Officer Eric Lewis said the strike would have cost the hospital district $600,000 to bring in 150 skilled replacement workers and train them to cover the 18-hour strike.
Haberly issued a two-week restraining order to avert the strike Aug. 3 and later issued a preliminary injunction.
On Tuesday, Haberly ordered that it is illegal for the union and its members to strike against the public hospital.
“The Defendants and members of the Defendant Union are hereby permanently restrained and enjoined from engaging in any strike against the Plaintiff after November 8, 2011,” Haberly ruled.
OMC is asking its employees and managers to pay for 25 percent of their children’s health care insurance, which is now free, and to pay 50 percent for a spouse, an amount that now is about 40 percent.
Haberly acted as a visiting judge because the Clallam County Superior Court judges had recused themselves.
“We are pleased with the ruling, that a strike against OMC as a public hospital district is prohibited under Washington state law,” Lewis said in a statement.
“Our goals from the beginning were to maintain health care services for our community and local jobs for our valued employees.
“OMC remains committed to reaching a fair contract settlement with SEIU,” he added.
Union spokeswoman Linnae Riesen provided a statement Friday from OMC nurse and union member Ginny Majewski.
“Our primary concern has been, and continues to be, getting Olympic Medical Center to return to the bargaining table,” Majewski said.
“We will continue to work for guaranteed staffing for every patient every time, affordable health care for our families and retirement security.”
‘Proud to provide care’
Majewski added: “As the nurses and health care workers who care for this community, we’re proud to provide care and be there when our patients need us.
“We’d like to settle a contract that allows us to continue to improve care and put patients first,” she said.
Last month, OMC settled its final contract with United Food and Commercial Workers 21.
UFCW represents 374 OMC workers in Home Health, professional technical services, clerical, laundry and the billing office.
OMC is Clallam County’s largest employer, with more than 1,000 on the payroll.
________
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.