By Bill Raack, KWMU
St. Louis – Nurses threatening to go on strike at St. John's Mercy Medical Center have now filed unfair labor practice charges against the hospital.
The United Food and Commercial Workers union, which represents about 1,500 St. John's registered nurses, says management has engaged in regressive bargaining, tried to reduce fringe benefits and proposed eliminating union security.
But hospital spokesman Mike Lowenbaum denies the charges.
"We firmly believe that we've been bargaining in good faith for the whole period of negotiations and that we're going to continue to do so," Lowenbaum said. "I've looked at the charges. I think they're without merit and I look forward to presenting the medical center's case to the NLRB."
The nurses' contract expired last week and they say they're ready to go on strike on December 15th if an agreement cannot be reached. The two sides have scheduled a negotiation session for this Sunday.