SEIU, Meet Dirty Harry!

Sometimes street thugs pick a fight with the wrong dude.

This week, the Service Employees International Union, the purple-shirted union of Andy Stern, met its very own Harry Callahan.

On Tuesday, SEIU-represented health care workers employed at two Alameda County jails went out on a one-day strike against their employer, Tennessee-based Prison Health Services.

According to a news report on Tuesday:

Union officials also say PHS has started an intimidation campaign against workers, including issuing notice of a seven day lock-out following today's action. Chatman says despite the threat of a lock-out, they'll attempt to return to work Wednesday.

This morning, the SEIU found out that PHS wasn't making an idle threat as the union workers found themselves locked out of their jobs until March 16 or until a new contract was signed --whichever happens first.

Workers at the Dublin jail this morning told news outlets they were turned away by their supervisors.

The workers, members of the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, approved the one-day strike last month after working more than two months without a contract and making minimal headway on a new one with Tennessee-based Prison Health Services. That company has a contract with Alameda County to provide health care staff, such as nurses and medical record technicians, to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin and the North County Jail in Oakland.

Prison Health Services officials would not comment Tuesday but did issue a statement Friday that said, "PHS regrets SEIU's decision to walk out and remains committed to negotiate a fair, reasonable and competitive contract" and said it would "ensure patient care is uninterrupted."

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“I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes.” Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776

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