Opinion ID: 758035
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Association

Text: 10 In 1973, the psychiatrists at Bellevue formed the Association of Staff Psychiatrists, Bellevue Hospital, for the purpose of addressing such matters as working hours, working conditions, salaries, and member grievances. At the time of the layoffs, the Association's membership included 45 psychiatrists, and the Executive Board consisted of Dr. Graham, president; Dr. Kermani, vice president; Dr. Geller, faculty representative; Dr. Steiner, treasurer; and Drs. Portnow and Mahon, members at large. 11 Soon after Dr. Trujillo became the director of psychiatry in October 1991, he began talking to Dr. Geller about the Association. Trujillo told Geller that he had heard very good things about [Geller] and about the unit [Geller] worked on, that the unit was one of the finer units at the hospital, [and] that [Geller] was one of the finest physicians. Trujillo then added that he was distressed that the doctors would put themselves in a position adversarial to Bellevue management and (in particular) himself. When Geller indicated that Association members regarded their association as being somewhat of a union, Trujillo stated that there could be no such thing as a union of physicians at a hospital and that such a thing should cease to be. 12 In May 1993, Bellevue Medical Director Dr. David Cohen phoned Dr. Kermani at home after one of Kermani's patients committed suicide by jumping out of a window at Bellevue. Dr. Kermani, under the mistaken impression that the caller was a resident on duty, told him that dealing with the family was an administrator's job, and hung up. Dr. Kermani did drive to the hospital almost immediately, however, and later apologized to Dr. Cohen. Pamela Brier, Executive Director of Bellevue, and Dr. Cohen reacted initially by demanding that Kermani be fired. They simmered down, however, and a compromise was reached whereby Kermani would be counselled by Trujillo, but remain. 13 In the counselling sessions, Dr. Trujillo told Dr. Kermani that the Association had given him nothing but a headache, and denounced its president, Dr. Graham as a son-of-a-bitch, who had written idiotic letters. Trujillo told Kermani that the Association made too many demands and that Kermani should disassociate himself from Drs. Graham and Kirshbaum (then president and secretary of the Association, respectively). 14 Dr. Kermani reported Dr. Trujillo's statements to Dr. Graham, who called an emergency meeting of the Association. Shortly after the meeting, Dr. Trujillo reprimanded Kermani for disseminating confidential information arising out of a counselling meeting, and placed him on a six-month probation. 15 On June 17, 1993, the Association filed an unfair labor practices charge on Dr. Kermani's behalf, alleging that NYU Medical Center was retaliating against him for his Association activities when he was placed on probation. Based on that charge the NLRB's Regional Director filed a complaint. An informal settlement agreement between the parties provided for, among other things, revocation of Dr. Kermani's probation. 16 Shortly after this disposition, Dr. Trujillo told Dr. Kermani that he had always believed that Kermani was a conscientious and good doctor, but warned it is better to disassociate yourself from Kirshbaum and Graham. When Kermani demurred, Trujillo (according to Kermani's version) became angry and stated Then I will have to shoot them through you ... next time there will be no association to go to for cover. 17 When Dr. Trujillo learned in October 1994 that Dr. Graham was seeking reelection as the Association's president, Trujillo advised Dr. Portnow, [y]ou guys don't know what's in your best interest. Trujillo called Graham incompetent and the Association useless, then asked Portnow to use his influence to defeat Graham and elect Dr. Kirshbaum. Following Graham's reelection, Trujillo accused Portnow of fail[ing] him because he did not convince Kirshbaum to challenge Graham. 18 In late 1994, Trujillo told Dr. Geller that he had high esteem for him, but that if he had his way, he would be glad to get rid of people like Kermani, Graham, Mahon and Kirshbaum. On March 9, 1995, Trujillo told Portnow that the Association interfered with [my] ability to run the department and the department would be better off without the Association.