Unions File Charges Vs Tenet Healthcare On Health Benefits

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200709261605DOWJONESDJONLINE000704_FORTUNE5.htm

September 26, 2007: 04:05 PM EST

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

Two California SEIU chapters filed for injunctive relief to stop Tenet Healthcare Corp. (THC) from cutting health benefits for nearly 7,000 hospital employees.

SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West and SEIU Local 121RN filed suit against Tenet, the Dallas-based acute care hospital operator, on behalf of registered nurses, pharmacists, vocational nurses, radiology technicians and other practitioners.

The unions also filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Tenet and 14 state hospitals for failure to bargain over the health plan.

The workers have been in negotiations with Tenet for almost a year. The unions said they reached an agreement in June but that Tenet decided last week it would cut benefits, beginning in November.

Tenet wasn't immediately available for comment.

-Melissa Korn; 201-938-5400; AskNewswires@dowjones.com