A major hospital operator filed a lawsuit alleging a labor union engaged in a harassment campaign targeting company executives at their personal residences.
Prime Healthcare claims the California Nurses Association crossed legal boundaries by organizing aggressive demonstrations in exclusive Los Angeles neighborhoods.
Court documents state union activists posted fliers containing aerial photographs, property descriptions and square footage details of executive homes.
The lawsuit asserts banners and signs were affixed to streetlights, trees and vehicles throughout the surrounding community.
The campaign allegedly left families fearing for their safety, forcing young children to remain indoors.
According to the complaint, fliers carried the headline ‘Where in the World is Dr. Reddy?’ while instructing the public to track down the executive.
Activists targeted the residence of Sunitha Reddy, who serves as chief revenue officer for the hospital system.
Company president Dr. Sunny Bhatia was also identified as a target of the residential canvassing efforts.
Attorneys contend the primary objective was inflicting emotional distress on executive families to secure labor concessions.
The hospital system sent a cease-and-desist letter on Sept. 9 demanding an end to residential targeting.
A union legal representative suggested demonstrations could cease if leadership agreed to meet, conduct company lawyers characterized as tantamount to economic extortion.
Company officials sought assistance from police and local council members on Sept. 9, but received no response.
Tensions escalated after a union representative urged nurses to assemble, stating, “We will be joining together in Dr. Reddy’s neighborhood and rally near his residence”.
Prime Healthcare is requesting injunctions prohibiting union picketing within 300 feet of executive residences.
Defending their actions online, union members posted demonstration footage on social media stating, “Nurses across the country are rising up systemwide against Prime Healthcare because Prime endangers patients and nurses”.