Santa Rosa Diocese adopts guidelines on unions, Catholic health care

Published: 2007-05-16

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Nearly eight years after its approval by a committee of U.S. bishops, a set of guidelines for resolving disputes between unions and Catholic health care institutions received its first formal endorsement by a U.S. diocese in April. The Diocese of Santa Rosa, Calif., adopted "A Just and Fair Workplace: Principles and Practices for Catholic Health Care," a 1999 document of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Policy, at the recommendation of the diocesan Priests' Council. The council voted 10-1 in favor of the document, with two abstentions, after meeting with representatives from the St. Joseph Health System and the Service Employees International Union, which has been working to organize service and technical workers at six hospitals sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, including Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Msgr. John Brenkle, pastor of St. Helena Church in St. Helena, Calif., announced the adoption of the guidelines May 5 at a congressional round table in Santa Rosa.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .