NEWS&PRESS

Monterey County Weekly: Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital workers union election is finally settled. NUHW wins.

By Robin Urevich

The National Union of Health care Workers has pledged to push back against staff reductions at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital.

In mid-October, the union led workers in a lively informational picket line to protest a round of buy-outs that had been offered to nurse’s aides, LVNs and other support staff. Hospital officials warned that if workers didn’t take voluntary severance packages, lay-offs could be in the offing. Now, the union can take its battle to the bargaining table.

In May 2010, SVMH workers voted overwhelmingly for NUHW representation, but their old union, the Service Employees International, which was voted out, filed objections to the conduct of the election, and official certification of the NUHW was delayed.

But on Oct. 25, the state Public Employee Relations Board, which referees such disputes, cleared those objections and granted collective bargaining rights to the NUHW.

Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital workers picket for safe staffing levels

More than a hundred healthcare workers marched outside Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital today to draw attention to the potential impact of more than 100 layoffs and employee buyouts ordered by hospital management. Employees decided to hold the picket by a 97% vote last week. “Cutting jobs means cutting healthcare for our community,” said Nina Perez, […]

Will illegal and collusive behavior by Kaiser Permanente result in a new union election for 43,000 California healthcare workers?

Attorneys representing employees and NUHW file objections to management’s support for SEIU in recent election

Oakland, Calif.—One week after ballots were counted in the largest private sector union election in 70 years, attorneys for the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) have filed to have the election result overturned.

Employers are required to remain neutral in elections between unions over bargaining rights. Documents filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) outline a number of overt and unfair labor practices by Kaiser management against its workers, beginning with Kaiser’s refusal to pay promised raises and other benefits to workers in Southern California who recently voted to join NUHW. In the election between NUHW and SEIU, Kaiser management worked closely and illegally with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to influence the election outcome for 43,000 workers statewide in multiple ways. The NLRB earlier this month announced action against Kaiser for some of its bad behavior. According to today’s filing:

“Kaiser’s misconduct is so severe in this regard that not only has the NLRB issued a complaint concerning it, but it is seeking the extraordinary remedy of 10(j) relief because of the deleterious effect such flagrant disregard of the law creates on NUHW’s stature and ability to organize. In its court filings, the General Counsel has specifically referred to the role of this unlawful misconduct in the instant election.”