Federal labor charges filed against Peak Vista Community Health Centers

(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Peak Vista Community Health Center, a nonprofit medical organization with 22 locations that serve roughly 81,000 patients in Colorado’s Pikes Peak and East Central regions, is facing allegations of unfair labor practices within the National Labor Relations Act.

According to California-based labor union, the Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD), medical providers from Peak Vista were recently asked to increase their patient loads from 22 to 28 a day. Time limits of no more than 15 minutes with each patient were also imposed; anyone who disagreed with the new practices was discharged.

According to a representative from UAPD, in the past six months at least six employees of Peak Vista were terminated, while nearly 20 other employees left on their own accord after not agreeing to the new policies.

Monday, a petition to unionize with the National Labor Relations Act on behalf of the Peak Vista providers was filed by UAPD. Former patients of the practice also lobbied for action outside the Academy Office location where they revealed their dissent over losing trusted community providers.

“We still have not received a letter saying that our pediatrician is gone. We haven’t received a phone call saying that she’s gone,” Diana Wyman, a Peak Vista patient said. “If it hadn’t been for the news, letting us know that this is going on with Peak Vista, I wouldn’t even know that my doctor had been let go without cause.”

According to UAPD, the action they would like to see taken is for Peak Vista to voluntarily recognize the union. In addition, they provided FOX21 News with the following statement:

“The ideal overall outcome would be the reinstatement of the providers who were terminated and the reversal of its current policy. This way the providers can expect to see a reasonable number of patients per day and spend adequate time with their patients. Along with providers not facing retaliation from their employer for voicing any criticisms/concerns.”

According to former providers of Peak Vista who were present at Monday’s rally, the terminations came without a write-up or final warning from Human Resouces (HR).

“I worry for those patients because there’s just not enough bodies to try and get all those signed up. I struggled as it was to try and keep up with all of these children and make sure that you meet all of their needs,” said Michelle Myers, a former MD at Peak Vista. “But by forcing more and more 15-minute appointments, more appointments per day, I’m not sure that you’re going to be able to accomplish that.”

FOX21 News reached out directly to Peak Vista for comment on the matter, to which they offered this response:

“Peak Vista Community Health Centers is in receipt of an unfair labor practice filing from the National Labor Relations Board. We are currently investigating the filing. We take these accusations very seriously and are confident they are unfounded. At Peak Vista, we strive for organizational excellence and adhere to the shared values of respect, stewardship, and teamwork among nearly 800 team members serving 74,000 patients, many of whom have barriers to quality health care. We are committed to a healthy workplace where performance goals and timely health care service delivery is a top priority,” Dr. Emily Ptaszek the President and CEO of Peak Vista Community Health Centers said.

As far as assistance for the terminated providers, the UAPD has filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board on their behalf. UAPD said they are in contact with them on how they would like to proceed but are not representing them in individual suits.

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