criticizing his Democratic opponent's running mate, who is a surgeon, for refusing to cross a nurses

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.wbko.com/news/headlines/10300962.html

Video: http://www.wbko.com/news/headlines/10300962.html#

Governor Ernie Fletcher is criticizing his Democratic opponent's running mate, who is a surgeon, for refusing to cross a nurses' picket line.

Registered nurses have been on strike at Hazard Appalachian Regional Hospital since their contract expired on Oct. 1.

Governor Fletcher claims Steve Beshear's running mate, Daniel Mongiardo, chose to align with union interests rather than patients.

The governor is also a physician.

Mongiardo said he is continuing to take care of patients with medical emergencies and urgent cases, but supports the more than 630 nurses.

The nurses representatives and administrators of Appalachian Regional Healthcare are set to talk to a federal mediator on Oct. 8.

[AdHocSolver]

1. Having worked in a hospital, I would say siding with the nurses was in the patients' best interests.

Hospitals are run by bean counters who could make many corporate CEOs look positvely benevolent. Nurses are exploited like any other workers. They have a thankless task of taking care of sick and often ornery people. Hospitals are often understaffed (since forcing employees to do "extra" work for the same pay makes for economic "efficiency").

If this doctor is backing the nurses, he is acting from knowledge, and he is looking after the patients' best interests.