Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center hospital's unionized nurses and management are facing off in an internal staffing committee election, according to the Times Union.
New York's clinical staffing law requires hospitals to establish clinical staffing committees composed of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, ancillary staff members and hospital administrators.
It also requires the committees to create and submit minimum staffing plans to the state's health department.
AMC on Nov. 1 informed employees of the upcoming internal election for staffing committee members, according to the New York State Nurses Association. Voting is open now through Nov. 15.
But the union is accusing management of trying to hand-pick committee members.
"Management's attempt to silence the strongest nurses advocates' voices by co-opting the selection of labor’s 50% of the clinical staffing committee is a violation of New York's clinical staffing law, as well as federal labor law," a union spokesperson told Becker's.
The union, which has been in negotiations with AMC since April, also pointed to language in the law stipulating that front-line members of the staffing committee must be selected by their peers and according to their respective collective bargaining agreements.
The NYSNA has filed complaints with the state's health department and the National Labor Relations Board related to their concerns.
AMC shared the following statement with Becker's:
"We are holding an election for the clinical staffing committee as required by the state. Not all nurses pay dues to the union, and we want to ensure all voices are heard. Voting is open now through Nov. 15 for all nurses, LPNs, and ancillary front-line staff members regardless of bargaining unit membership. They will decide who sits on the committee.
"Just like any election, there may be members who are voted in for another term, or the votes determine that a new member joins the committee. The committee has 17 positions for seven registered nurses, seven members of management, and three LPNs or ancillary staff. Only the seven management positions are selected by the hospital administration."