Nurses pulled off job for wearing union pins

Michelle Swafford

Thursday, Sept. 15, 2005 | 9:47 a.m.

Seven Desert Springs Hospital registered nurses were sent home from work Wednesday after they refused to take off pro-union pins.

The Service Employees International Union Local 1107-represented nurses -- along with SEIU nurses from other local hospitals -- rallied in front of Desert Springs after they were sent home in protest.

The pins said "I'm on Spring Valley Watch" and were in support of Spring Valley Hospital nurses who are scheduled to vote on whether to become SEIU members Oct. 20.

Nurses at Valley Hospital wore the same pins, but none were sent home.

Desert Springs, Valley, Spring Valley and Summerlin hospitals are owned by Universal Health Services in King of Prussia, Pa., which is locally known as the Valley Health System.

"They're more concerned about our buttons than us taking care of our patients," said Karen Pels-Jimenez, a Desert Springs outpatient surgery nurse. "Some took their pins off. I chose not to because I think it was silly. I was doing my job."

Pels-Jimenez said she was quietly asked to leave after five hours of her 10-hour shift.

Nancy DeJovin, a Desert Springs intensive care nurse, said she was wrongfully sent home because "it was my right to wear the pin."

Desert Springs and Valley hospital officials say the pins were removed because they violate the hospitals' dress code, which is standard for all of the Valley Health System hospitals.

"We regret that a handful of our union nurses walked out today based on their refusal to comply with hospital policy that employees may not wear buttons, pins or other accessories which contain words, messages, slogans or images which may be disruptive to patient care," Desert Springs said in a statement. "Wearing buttons, stickers or other paraphernalia on a patient floor is a political statement that is disruptive to our patients. Patient areas are not the place for special interest group messages. At Desert Springs Hospital our goal has been, and will continue to be, pro-patient not anti-union."

Today 17 Desert Springs nurses were sent home -- 15 of whom were escorted out of the critical care unit by hospital Chief Executive Sam Kaufman -- for wearing union buttons.

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Ross and Assemblywoman Peggy Pierce went to the hospital to escort nurses to their departments.

"I was appalled by hearing that and this morning came to see it for myself," Perkins said. "As the top leader in the state assembly I'm here to try to resolve that in a fashion that brings the best patient care possible."