Author Archive

Empire Report: Memorial Hospital faces allegations as Workers Face Union Vote

Only days before Memorial Hospital’s workers vote on unionization, the hospital’s administration is facing allegations that it’s dishonoring and disrupting the workers’ right to unionize. Is the hospital dishonoring the respectful workplace principles its local diocese endorsed only two years ago?

Catholic Scholars urge Memorial Hospital administration to stop anti-union campaign

Dr. Joe Fahey of Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice writes: “We are deeply alarmed at reports that SJHS has reverted to an earlier form of behavior and is actively seeking to bust the union movement at Santa Rosa. It is a violation of Catholic Social Teaching on workers’ rights for an employer to demonstrate anti-union […]

KQED-FM: Labor Board OKs Union Vote at Kaiser

In the latest development in a bitter feud between competing health care unions, the National Labor Relations Board has decided to allow elections for some 2,300 Kaiser workers in Southern California. The board’s decision is a major blow to the giant Service Employees International Union, which represents tens of thousands of California health care workers. […]

Los Angeles Times: Labor board OKs challenge to SEIU

The National Labor Relations Board calls for elections to determine which union will represent Kaiser workers in Southern California, the SEIU or challenger NUHW. SEIU plans to appeal the decision.

By Patrick J. McDonnell

A federal labor board decision this week has given a major victory to a breakaway union vying with the giant Service Employees International Union to represent tens of thousands of California healthcare workers.

On Tuesday, the National Labor Relations Board called for elections to determine who has the right to represent some 2,300 Kaiser healthcare workers employed at various sites in Southern California.

Sacramento Business Journal: NLRB gives huge victory to National Union of Healthcare Workers

A regional National Labor Relations Board ruled Monday that more than 2,300 Kaiser workers in Southern California can vote on whether they want to be represented by Service Employees International Union, a rival formed early this year — or neither of them.

The ruling in Region 21, which includes numerous Kaiser facilities in Los Angeles and San Diego, is a major coup for the National Union of Healthcare Workers. Formed in January after the international assumed trusteeship of SEIU local United Healthcare Workers West (UHW) amidst a political fight and charges of illegal activity, the new union angled for elections at Kaiser and other major health systems for 10 months.