Riverside's Parkview Hospital 260 nurses vote to join union

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.pe.com/localnews/riverside/stories/PE_News_Local_H_union19.a97876.html

Audio story here: http://pe.robocaster.com/download.mp3?http://www.pe.com/localnews/riverside/stories/PE_News_Local_H_union19.a97876.html

The Press-Enterprise

Nurses at Parkview Community Hospital in Riverside on Friday voted to join the United Nurses Association of California/Union of Health Care Professionals.

Some of the hospital's 260 nurses started pushing for union representation in July. Union officials didn't say how many voted in support of unionization.

Marlene Burnett, spokeswoman for Parkview Community Hospital, said the facility's administration respects the nurses' decision and would negotiate a contract with them.

The United Nurses Association of California/Union of Health Care Professionals, a Pomona-based union that represents nurses and other health care workers, has accused Parkview's administration of violating federal labor rules by interfering with employees' attempts to unionize. Last month, it filed a complaint with the Los Angeles office of the National Labor Relations Board, the federal agency that investigates labor complaints.

The office's regional director James Small on Monday would not comment on the complaint.

Hospital CEO Doug Drumwright has denied the union's allegations.

--Lora Hines

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[Joanne98]

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