Hospital picketed

South Coast Medical Center was picketed this week by members of the carpenter’s union, which objects to the hiring practices for a San Diego County project associated with hospital owner Adventist Health.

The union claims medical insurance benefits are not being provided for the workers on a senior housing project that is owned by Adventist Health, which also owns the medical center in South Laguna.

“The protest had nothing to do with South Coast Medical Center operations,” said hospital CEO Bruce Christian.

The project that set off the union protest is in National City, where Adventist closed Paradise Valley Hospital and is partnering with Generations LLC to build Paradise Valley Retirement Community. The contractor has been identified as Pacific Structures Construction, which reportedly has hired non-union workers based on competitive bids.

“It is not a matter of non-union workers; it is a matter of a contract that undercuts wage and benefit standards in the area,” said Jim Flores, administrative assistant of carpenters local 803 in San Diego and 547 in Orange.

“Hospitals rely on insurance premiums to pay their bills. If you rely on health-care benefits to keep your doors open, you ought to make sure everyone who works on your facility has health care.”

Flores said he was told it was cheaper to use workers that have no health care benefits.

“I took offense at that,” Flores said. “They said it wasn’t their problem and to take it up with the contractor. But the contractor works for owner.”