St. Francis Medical Center wants a judge to order four nurses and other medical employees who allege they were wrongfully fired from the hospital in 2023 for protesting alleged unsafe and unhealthy conditions for patients to have their claims decided by an arbitrator rather than a jury.
The fired workers represented the entire bargaining team with SEIU- United Healthcare Workers West, which represents employees at the Lynwood facility, according to their Los Angeles Superior Court retaliation suit.
But in court papers filed Thursday with Compton Superior Court Judge Michael Shultz, St. Francis lawyers maintain that the plaintiffs were bound by their work agreements to arbitrate any employment disputes. A hearing is scheduled April 30.
"Plaintiffs should therefore be compelled to arbitrate those disputes and this matter should be stayed pending completion of the arbitration," the hospital attorneys maintain in their pleadings.
The defense attorneys' court papers state that the nine plaintiffs were among about 50 St.
Francis employees who picketed on a public sidewalk without any problems until they trespassed on private property and engaged in misconduct.
In their suit brought Jan. 10, the plaintiffs say they are health care workers employed by the hospital for terms ranging from three to nearly 30 years and dedicated their professional lives to ensuring quality patient care.
The plaintiffs further contend they have made tremendous sacrifices on behalf of patients who since the pandemic have often worked more than 18- hour days because of staff shortages caused in part by layoffs made to save money.
The plaintiffs obtained letters of support from various public/government officials urging St. Francis to give priority to patient care and worker safety and to adopt a fair compensation and benefits package in the next collective bargaining agreement, the suit states.
The none plaintiffs believe that the misconduct allegations against them that were used to justify their firings were an excuse for their real intentions, which was to retaliate against the former workers for their complaints.
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