Business
Seattle HMO workers strike
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 13, 2004
Seattle-based Group Health Cooperative, a large consumer-governed, nonprofit HMO, saw about 1,700 of its nurses, medical assistants and other employees walk out on the job in August for a five-day strike over medical benefits.
The strike, which also included therapists and janitors, came about after talks broke down over the plan's decision to increase co-payments, require employees to pay a deductible and charge them premiums for the first time.
"One of the main topics of discussion in our negotiations is how much staff should share in the cost of their own health care," the plan said. "We don't think it's fair to ask our patients to pay more of the rising costs of health care if our own staff aren't contributing their fair share."
The August walkout ended without an agreement and with union organizers leaving open the possibility of another strike.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/09/13/bibf0913.htm.
