Mercy being "targeted' by SEIU

Toledo Business Journal, Jan 01, 2006

Mercy Health Partners (MHP) has become the target of a "corporate campaign" initiated by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) against hospitals in the Catholic Healthcare Partners system in Ohio, according to Mercy officials.

A "corporate campaign" has been defined us an organizing technique used by some unions to bring into question, the reputation of the institution it is trying to organize with the goal of gaining concessions from the employer during the organizing process. The goal of such a campaign may include the employer- remaining neutral in the union's organizing efforts, "card check" - which would circumvent die National Labor Relations Board process by gaining recognition on the basis of employee signatures alone, and master agreements covering multiple bargaining units.

Catholic Healthcare Partners (CHP), the parent organization of MHP, is the largest health system in Ohio, with 22 of its 29 hospitals in this state. According to CHP, its 35,000 employees are attractive to the SEIU as a large potential source of dues-paying members. Since the United Auto Workers already represent some employees at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, SEIU has begun organizing efforts of employees at St. Anne Mercy Hospital and St. Charles Mercy Hospital, according to Mercy officials.

"These campaigns take place over a long period of time and they intensify to try to wear the organization down," explained Karen Connors, president and CEO, St. Anne Mercy Hospital. "We're in the early stages. The first time we had any notice of any activity was last April."

"The SEIU went door-to-door and solicited signatures for an ad that ran in The City Paper earlier this year," stated Gary George, vice president, human resources, Mercy Health Partners. "That's really one of the major things that's gone on in this community. In the last few days, there have been home visits going on with some of our employees, particularly folks that work at St. Anne and St. Charles... There have also been contacts made throughout the summer with political, community, and religious leaders - soliciting support and telling the SEW story."

"We are seeing a progression of activities as we've seen in other markets," stated Megan M. Manahan, vice president, marketing and communications, Mercy Health Partners.

"They (SEIU) have created two publications throughout this year that highlight the issues of the uninsured." explained Connors. "They have distributed this information to the various audiences that they're talking to, for example the local political leaders. They are taking an issue that is important, such as care of the uninsured, but misrepresenting what it is that we do relative to making sure that people get the care that they need and how we handle the financial arrangements of things like that. There is clear, absolute misrepresentation of facts in those publications... That is what we take issue with.

"Care of the uninsured is a key issue for all of us. One in seven Ohioans do not have insurance. It's extremely important for us to address this issue," continued Connors. "Our mission is to care for all of those people who are in need, and we do that. We provided, just here in northwest Ohio, $45 million worth of free care in 2004 to those people who are in need; we do not turn people away. But to take that and misrepresent it and to turn it against us is something that we find unacceptable. That's the issue of a corporate campaign strategy that is extremely concerning to us."

Crossing the Line, a publication of the Care for Ohio project of SEIU District 1199, is so-named because, as the publications states: "hospitals may be crossing the line between 'for-profit' and 'non-profit' by putting their financial and business goals ahead of their charitable purpose."

The publication asks if non-profit hospitals are meeting their end of the deal, since in lieu of paying taxes they are to put their charitable purpose and the needs of their communities ahead of their financial and business goals.

In a section devoted to CHP in Crossing the Line, several assertions are made, including that Ohio taxpayers give up more in lost tax revenues than they receive in care for the uninsured.

Asked if it accurately reflects SEIU's position to state that SEIU believes that Ohio taxpayers give up more in lost tax revenues than they receive in care for the uninsured, Scott Courtney, executive vice president of SEIU District 1199 and director of the Care for Ohio project stated: 'That's a fact. Hospitals do not dispute this. The hospital industry's position is that they provide many other community benefits - not just 'care for the uninsured' - to justify their tax breaks."

"Are Ohio's taxpayers getting their money's worth in exchange for the generous tax breaks they give hospitals?"

Courtney continued. "We don't think so. In fact, many people are surprised to learn that - because they're considered charitable institutions - most hospitals don't pay taxes. After all, hospitals are large and aggressive businesses that don't always act in a charitable fashion. They're highly profitable. they overcharge uninsured patients, and they sue patients who can't afford to pay their bills. They pay their CEOs huge six- and seven-figure salaries. And they spend lavishly on advertising and renovations and expansions, often just to attract paying customers away from their competitors."