The following is a roundup of recent events pertaining to hospital-union relationships, including strikes, concerns, legal battles, rallies and new contract agreements. All events were reported since Feb. 18, beginning with the most recent.
1. Nathan Littauer Hospital, union reach contract agreement: 4 things to know
Employees at Nathan Littauer Hospital in Gloversville, N.Y., represented by the 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, agreed on a new contract with management, according to a Times Union report. The agreement covers 400 technical and service employees at the hospital.
2. 1,200 RNs at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles begin walkout
Registered nurses at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, represented by the California Nurses Association, began a seven-day strike March 15 as they push for their first contract as union members, according to a report published by the Los Angeles Daily News. The walkout affects 1,200 RNs who voted last summer to join the CNA.
3. Nurses protest closing of Memorial Hospital birthing center, ICU
Nurses and union members rallied March 10 to protest Providence, R.I.-based Care New England's decision to close the birthing center and intensive care unit at its Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket, R.I., according to a WJAR report. The protest took place outside of Care New England offices in Providence.
4. Battle between Huntington Memorial Hospital, union will go to trial
A battle between Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, Calif., and the California Nurses Association will go to trial, according to a Pasadena Star-News report. The National Labor Relations Board issued a formal complaint against the hospital after finding merit in allegations by two nurses who claim Huntington Memorial let them go for their unionization efforts. No settlement has been reached, and an administrative law judge is scheduled to hear the case June 6.
5. Massachusetts nurses protest over patient care
Newton (Mass.)-Wellesley Hospital nurses, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, picketed March 9 and authorized the union to call a strike if contentious contract negotiations continue, according to a Boston Globe report. The union and hospital administration have disagreed over staffing levels and salaries.
6. Union alleges Nathan Littauer Hospital denied new position to member: 4 things to know
The National Labor Relations Board set a hearing for April 18 to determine whether Nathan Littauer Hospital in Gloversville, N.Y., denied a new position to an employee active in the New York State Nurses Association, according to a Times Union report. The union alleges hospital managers denied nurse Marion Enright a newly created position as outpatient float nurse because she engaged in union activities, according to the report.
7. Union rallies in New York for higher healthcare pay: 3 things to know
Members of 1199 SEIU union rallied March 3 in Troy, N.Y., for higher wages for area healthcare workers, according to a Times Union report. The rally, which took place near St. Mary's Hospital, involved about a dozen people.
8. Sutter Health RNs get big pay bump under new contract: 3 things to know
Roughly 3,500 registered nurses at Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health will receive big pay increases under tentative contract agreements with management, according to a San Francisco Business Times report. The new tentative agreements, concluded March 2, cover RNs who work at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center facilities in Berkeley, Calif., and Oakland, Calif., and California Pacific Medical Center hospitals in San Francisco.
9. Kaiser workers in California protest 'excessive' executive pay
Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente employees, represented by the Service Employees International Union – United Healthcare Workers West, recently protested what they called excessive salaries and bonuses for executives, according to an Orange County Register report. The protest occurred March 2 at a Kaiser board meeting in Southern California.
10. Union files NLRB complaint against Corona Regional: 6 things to know
The United Nurses Association of California/Union of Health Care Professionals, which was recently dropped at Corona (Calif.) Regional Medical Center, has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against the hospital, according to a report from The Press-Enterprise. The complaint was filed Feb. 22. The union contends the hospital used threats, surveillance and backroom dealings to stand in the way of contract bargaining, according to the report.
11. Whidbey General Hospital, nurses reach tentative contract: 3 things to know
Nurses at Coupeville, Wash.-based Whidbey General Hospital, represented by the Washington State Nurses Association, reached a tentative contract agreement with management, according to a Whidbey News-Times report. The contract came after nearly a year of negotiations.
12. Workers call for better staffing at San Francisco General
About 200 workers and members of Service Employees International Union Local 1021 picketed outside San Francisco General Hospital Feb. 25, calling on the hospital to hire more nurses, according to a Mission Local report.
13. Salinas Valley Memorial workers to protest over stalled negotiations: 3 things to know
Nurses aides, represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, and their supporters were slated to protest Feb. 25 in front of Salinas (Calif.) Valley Memorial Hospital, according to a report from The Salinas Californian. Workers were protesting in hopes of continuing negotiations with hospital administrators.
14. Union: Inspira Health Network didn't provide proper notice of hospice care changes
The Health Professionals and Allied Employees union, which represents 1,300 nurses at Woodbury, N.J.-based Inspira Health Network, including more than 30 involved in hospice care, filed a grievance against, claiming it did not properly inform the union about planned changes to hospice services that affect the employment of 105 workers, according to a Courier-Post report.
15. Prime Healthcare to appeal adverse NLRB ruling
An administrative law judge from the National Labor Relations Board ordered Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare Services to execute an agreement it reached with SEIU-UHW in 2014. The collective bargaining agreement was for 1,100 employees at Encino (Calif.) Hospital Medical Center, Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, Calif., and Garden Grove (Calif.) Hospital Medical Center.
More articles on workforce and labor management:
5 hospitals, health systems adding jobs
RNs at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles push for pay increase, more staffing on 1st day of strike
Kentucky sees dramatic healthcare job growth after Medicaid expansion: 3 quick facts