Nurses at Corewell Health East, which is part of Corewell Health in Southeast Michigan, filed paperwork with the National Labor Relations Board on Sept. 27 to unionize as Nurses for Nurses, a committee of the Michigan Teamsters Joint Council No. 43.
The union said in a Facebook post that nurses carried three banker boxes filled with union recognition cards from their colleagues at Corewell Health to the NLRB to secure the right to vote for Teamsters representation.
The labor board provides various paths to forming a union. According to its website, the NLRB will conduct an election if at least 30% of workers sign cards or a petition indicating their support for unionization. Workers would then vote on whether to unionize. Employers may also voluntarily recognize a union based on signed union-authorization cards or other evidence.
At Corewell, nurses are raising the following issues as they seek to vote on representation: safe staffing ratios, fair pay, a benefits package that reflects their essential role in the community, and a steady, reliable retirement plan, according to the union.
Teamsters said they also seek "grievance mechanisms that will protect both their professional licenses and their rights as workers. Most importantly, they are demanding a voice in the day-to-day decisions that affect patient care. These nurses are on the front lines, caring for us when we need it most, and they know firsthand what is best for their patients."
Mark Geary, senior director of communications at Corewell, shared the following statement with Becker's: "We are proud of our nurses and respect the work they do.
"We have reviewed the union's petition and believe it is legally invalid, just as the Teamsters' previous filings have been.
"We respect our team members' rights to explore joining a union. However, we believe our ability to provide high-quality care to our patients and create a positive environment is best achieved through a direct working relationship with our nurses."
If the NLRB schedules an election and a majority of nurses vote in favor of unionization, Teamsters would represent approximately 9,600 nurses at Corewell hospitals and facilities in Dearborn, Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe, Royal Oak, Taylor, Trenton, Troy, Wayne, and Southfield, according to the NLRB. Corewell Health East includes eight hospitals.