Panel poised to delay hospital union vote

The Las Vegas office of the National Labor Relations Board was scheduled Wednesday to delay a union-organizing election at MountainView Hospital.

Registered nurses aligned with the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association filed charges with the federal board Tuesday, accusing MountainView and its parent company, HCA, of "illegal conduct that has tainted the upcoming election" at the hospital.

The election was scheduled for July 21 and 22. The investigation process could take a few weeks to three months, without appeals.

The union says hospital managers spied on nurses, illegally restricted access to supporters of the California Nurses Association and injected religious issues into the campaign to "foster anti-union sentiments."

MountainView released a statement calling the union's filing "a typical stalling tactic," and saying the nurses and managers want a vote, but the union wants to halt the process because its officials believe they'll lose the election.

Nurses at MountainView are currently unrepresented by any union.