Hospital seller's suit says union tried to sabotage deal

Owners of six nonprofit hospitals, nervously awaiting a buyer's final approval of sale terms that would keep the hospitals from closing, have filed suit accusing a labor union of trying to sabotage the deal in order to extract concessions from the buyer at its other hospitals. Daughters of Charity Health System claimed that the Service Employees International Union and its United Healthcare Workers West affiliate have cost their hospitals tens of millions of dollars by delaying the sale and by pressuring potential bidders to drop out, thus driving the price down. The hospital chain filed the suit Monday in Santa Clara County Superior Court, seeking unspecified damages for its losses and punitive damages.