Hospital workers' vote ends streak

Organized labor’s string of recent victories at area hospitals came to a halt when workers at Lee’s Summit Medical Center rejected union representation.

In the election conducted last week by the National Labor Relations Board, 48 employees voted against joining SEIU Healthcare Missouri/Kansas, and 36 favored the union. About 105 employees, ranging from dietary and janitorial workers to medical technicians, were eligible to vote.

Lee’s Summit Medical Center proved to be the SEIU’s first setback this year. In recent weeks, about 915 service employees at Research Medical Center in Kansas City and Menorah Medical Center in Overland Park chose representation. All three hospitals are owned by HCA Midwest Health System.