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RN Crisis in Ohio! Hospital Handpicking a non-RN Union for their Registered Nurses
Administration at nine Catholic Healthcare Partner hospitals in Ohio has agreed to give their registered nurses to the Service Employees Union for union representation purposes through sham elections March 12-14. Help protect the rights of these Ohio RNs to chose their union, not have their employer chose it for them. Please send the automatic message below; it will be emailed to the Catholic Health Association, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and to the Ohio nurses.
Complete this form and click SEND on the right to forward the letter below now!
Thank you so much for your support!
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Don't Deny Nurses Their Right To Choose Their Union!
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I understand that the Catholic Healthcare Partners hospital chain just agreed to give their registered nurses at nine Ohio hospitals to the Service Employees Union for union representation purposes. We find this highly offensive that the Catholic Health Association or the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops would endorse such a plan.
Not only does this decision deny registered nurses the right to determine which union represents us, it also is an affront to the largest female profession in healthcare.
Nurses at these nine Ohio hospitals did not even know the elections were happening until they received a joint mailing from hospital administration and SEIU giving their joint blessing two weeks before the pre-scheduled election.
I also find it highly offensive that you would try to force RNs into a union whose members are less than 2% RNs. RNs unionize to improve staffing and patient care at their hospital, which requires a professional RN union. We have to assume you do not want RNs to have a professional union voice to force better safer staffing in your hospitals.
I demand an apology on behalf of the nursing profession and the patients we serve. I also insist that you nullify these sham elections and never ever again try to deny registered nurses our choice and our voice.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
March 07, 2008
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Why the SEIU deal with Catholic Healthcare Partners is detrimental to the Ohio Labor Movement
SEIU recently concluded a secret deal with Catholic Healthcare Partners. Under this agreement, the Employer filed some 40 NLRB election petitions (RM petitions) at some 9 hospitals in Lima, Springfield and the Cincinnati metropolitan area. While we all support new organizing efforts, this agreement is a bad deal for the labor movement, is opposed by key state fed affiliates, and creates an unnecessary conflict among unions representing healthcare workers in Ohio.
1. This deal allows elections at these hospitals without a showing of interest from a single affected worker, through the use of employer petitions. The employer is the moving party. Historically, this practice has exclusively been used to establish company unions, and is a corrupt practice that the labor movement must shun.
2. This deal covers a non-affiliate, SEIU. It excludes Ohio’s RN union affiliate, National Nurses Organizing Committee Ohio/CNA, as well as the Ohio Nurses Association and UAW, who represent workers in this hospital chain. Because the labor board approved consent election agreements within 2 days of the employer filing the petitions, these unions and all other affiliates were effectively prevented from participating in these elections.
3. The entire agreement constitutes unfair assistance to one union, SEIU, and discriminates against AFL-CIO affiliates, and violates the NLRA company union provision, 8 (a) (2).
4. The agreement forbids workers from campaigning for or against the union, effectively eliminating workers’ free speech and union rights.
5. The workers in these hospitals should be represented, but by a union chosen by them, not by management.
6. SEIU is raiding 41,000 teachers in Puerto Rico with the collusion of the antiunion government. Apparently SEIU thinks it's okay for teachers to have a choice but not teachers.
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