Nurses at Corewell Health East, part of Corewell Health in southeast Michigan, have voted to join Nurses for Nurses, a committee of Michigan Teamsters Joint Council No. 43.
Workers voted 4,958 to 2,957 in favor of union representation, according to a statement from the National Labor Relations Board, which was shared with Becker's on Nov. 15.
Approximately 9,700 nurses were eligible to vote in what is believed to be one of the largest union elections in recent history.
The NLRB said it will not count 418 challenged ballots, because they aren't determinative to the election outcome, and there were seven void ballots. Union and health system representatives have five business days to file objections to the election. The NLRB will certify the results if no objections are filed.
Michigan Teamsters President Kevin Moore stated:
"Today is a historic victory for the Corewell nurses that steadfastly fought for over a year to demand Teamster representation. … Starting today, these nurses will have a voice and Teamster representation. They will not be taken for granted anymore."
Mark Geary, senior director of communications at Corewell Health, shared the following statement with Becker's:
"Corewell Health nurses in southeast Michigan voted to be represented by the Brotherhood of Teamsters for the purposes of collective bargaining. The results are not yet certified.
"We value all our nurses and are committed to moving forward together, united by our mission to provide high-quality care to our patients and the communities we serve."