Editorial: Union election at hospital is welcome

Thursday, Oct. 8, 1998 | 11:01 a.m.

But this week's announcement of a compromise, permitting the union to conduct an election to determine union representation, offers hope that the bitterness of the past four years will finally come to an end.

The union, which is associated with the Service Employees International Union of the AFL-CIO, had argued with the hospital on how to conduct the election. But a compromise was reached, allowing a secret ballot. And prior to the election hospital officials will not express their views. In addition, the union, which in the past has accused the hospital of understaffing in nursing, has agreed to stop all of its negative campaigning against the hospital.

No one has suggested that patient care has declined because of the squabbles, but it's natural for any customers of a business to be concerned about the service they receive anytime a labor-management dispute is occurring. Patients already have enough on their minds nowadays with increasing health care costs and managed-care restrictions without having to worry about a labor dispute at Southern Nevada's largest hospital.

As the Sun's Art Nadler reported Tuesday, more than 2,600 employees -- including registered nurses, other medical professionals (except for doctors), technicians, maintenance workers and business office clerks -- will be allowed to vote on union representation. The wounds from the conflict over the past four years won't mend overnight, but at least the healing process can begin.