The much-publicized split in organized labor is beginning to be felt in the healthcare industry. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) left the AFL-CIO three weeks ago after relations between the two reached an all-time low. SEIU president Andy Stern says labor unions have become "complacent" and "not radical enough." That kind of talk, of course, makes healthcare executives just a little nervous. Labor disputes remain a fact of life for American hospitals, even in an age when they have almost vanished from the radar of many industries. This weekend, Stern arrived at Swedish Hospital in Seattle with a message of support for nurses protesting possible benefit cuts.
- see this story from the Seattle Times