National Nurses United is urging California Attorney General Kamala Harris to reject the proposed merger of two Catholic health systems: Renton, Wash.-based Providence Health & Services and Irvine, Calif.-based St. Joseph Health System.
Here are five things to know about the union's concerns.
1. NNU, which represents thousands of Providence and St. Joseph registered nurses in California, believes the planned merger could have a major impact on the cost, quality and availability of critical hospital services.
"NNU has substantial concerns about the impact of the proposed merger of these two hospital systems on patients, taxpayers, RNs and other employees, and the affected communities," Malinda Markowitz, an NNU vice president, said in a news release. "We are opposed to any and all mergers that don't guarantee patients and their communities a higher standard of care."
2. In light of its concerns, the union is urging Attorney General Harris to, at minimum, impose conditions that "are more robust and durable than what the hospital chains have proposed in their application."
3. NNU is also calling on Attorney General Harris to assess the impact of the proposed merger on charity care and other community benefits and its potential affect on essential services, among various other issues.
4. The union is strongly urging Attorney General Harris to deny the merger, or at minimum conduct a thorough review of the transaction, including holding public hearings, until concerns are adequately addressed.
5. NNU's concerns come as the health systems are working with the California Attorney General's office on next steps, with hopes of completing the review and approval process for the planned merger in 2016. It also comes as the Service Employees International Union and a cadre of 13 civil liberties and pro-choice organizations are asking the Oregon Attorney General to carefully examine the proposed merger.
More articles on workforce and labor management:
Minnesota nurses ratify contract with wage increases: 3 things to know
Union endorses Holy Cross Hospital tax levy proposal: 4 things to know
Delaware County Memorial Hospital nurses vote to unionize: 3 things to know