An unlikely pair: Why a labor union joined hospitals to weaken seismic standards

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California hospitals have long sought to weaken legally required — and costly — seismic upgrades meant to ensure their doors can remain open to patients after a major earthquake.

Now, the hospitals have a new and unexpected ally — an influential union that is supporting the watered-down seismic standards in a deal giving the employees it represents a wage bump.

The last-minute alliance has infuriated other unions, which accused the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West of making a backroom deal that skirts the legislative process and puts patients, health care workers and communities at risk. It's still unclear whether a