El Camino Hospital in Mountain View has contributed $149,000 toward efforts to defeat a Peninsula ballot initiative -- Measure M -- that would cap the annual salaries and compensation packages for hospital executives, managers and administrators, the Bay Citizen reports.
Background
The measure stems from a labor dispute between the hospital and Service Employees International Union-United Health Care Workers West, which represents some of the lowest-paid workers at El Camino's two hospital campuses.
The dispute was triggered earlier this year when the hospital imposed a contract requiring workers to pay more for their health care benefits.
SEIU-UHW collected signatures to put Measure M on the ballot.
Ballot Measure Details
If the measure passes, annual salaries for El Camino executives would be capped at twice the California governor's salary, which is $173,987 annually. Currently, El Camino CEO Tomi Ryba earns $695,000 annually and is eligible for a bonus of up to 30% for meeting specific professional goals.
Chris Ernst -- a spokesperson for the hospital -- said that compensation of at least nine other hospital executives also would be reduced if voters approve Measure M on Nov. 6.
Details of Opposition to Measure
Hospital officials contend that capping executives' salaries would hinder the hospital's ability to attract and retain talented leaders.
Ryba wrote in an Aug. 3 letter to the hospital board that if the initiative passes, it would have "incredibly detrimental impacts on the Hospital Corporation's ability to continue effectively providing quality health care" and that it is "important for the organization to support ... efforts from a financial perspective to defeat the initiative" (Mieszkowski, Bay Citizen, 10/17).