Nurses at Ascension St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore have petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to hold a vote on removing National Nurses United as their bargaining representative.
St. Agnes nurse Jennifer Delaney, with assistance from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, filed the union decertification petition on Nov. 15.
The nonprofit foundation says it aims to "eliminate coercive union power and compulsory unionism abuses through strategic litigation and education programs." The foundation said Ms. Delaney filed the petition on behalf of a bargaining unit of about 600 nurses.
If the NLRB verifies the petition, showing at least 30% of workers support decertification, it will conduct a secret ballot election, according to the agency's website.
In a news release from the foundation, Ms. Delaney said many nurses opposed NNU's agenda "from the very beginning, and a year since it gained power it is still making things difficult for both us and our patients."
Becker's has reached out to NNU and will update this story with any comment.
A spokesperson for St. Louis-based Ascension shared the following statement with Becker's:
"St. Agnes has been notified that a group of registered nurses has filed a petition to decertify National Nurses United as their union representative. This is a staff-led initiative. We respect our associates' right to determine the path that best supports their professional and workplace needs, including decisions about union representation.
"We are grateful for the confidence the petitioners have in St. Agnes. Our commitment to fostering a collaborative, supportive environment remains unwavering. As this process moves forward, we remain focused on supporting our nurses and advancing our shared mission to serve the most vulnerable in our communities."
Robin Buckner, RN, shared the following statement with Becker's: