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“Hundreds of thousands of area residents depend on us, and we will not stand idly by while others interfere with our relationships with those who entrust us with their care.”
—Steve Sparks, a spokesman for St. Mary's Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, announcing its lawsuit against UNITE HERE. In an effort to organize St. Mary’s employees, UNITE HERE had allegedly been persuading patients not to pay their hospital bills and to sue the hospital, according to the February 17, 2007 Capital Times (WI). “[L]eaders of UNITE HERE have been held legally accountable for recklessly frightening patients and the public through outrageous and false allegations. We truly hope this decision encourages labor unions like UNITE HERE to think twice before using shameful scare tactics that ultimately hurt patients in an attempt to advance a political agenda.”
—Michael Roosevelt, chair of a nonprofit healthcare provider which successfully sued UNITE HERE for over $17 million dollars.