Union Organizing in the Health Care Industry - New Unions and Alliances Among Rivals
Although the economy of our country just lost millions of jobs, industry, health care continued to add. Not surprisingly, unions are eager to sign the health care workers. In the past 10 years, the rate of union wins in industry health care has grown faster than the national average. Unions unite to push legislation favorable to use to promote increased unionization in the healthcare sector.
In addition to traditional care organization health union organizers used more radical corporate campaigns that target hospital donors, shareholders, community groups, and even patients. The unions put pressure on these groups to pressure owners hospitals for unions to organize employees. Many critics have argued that some of these agreements with employers have severely limited the power of workers and emphasized cooperation between the Union and management.
The following article provides an overview of the main unions involved in the industry of health care, as well as strategies to ensure your organization is prepared and remains effective.
Service Employees International UnionThe Union Service Employees International Union (SEIU) began in 1921, primarily as a janitor union and began including government workers, security and health. In 2000, he was the biggest, the fastest growing union in the United States, with much of this growth as a result of a series of strategic mergers with smaller unions. In June 2005, the SEIU and six other unions left the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) to form the Change to Win Coalition. Citing the need to redouble efforts to organize workers, Change to Win is supposed to be focused on achieving fair wages, benefits, health insurance and retirement benefits for all employees. The coalition also encourages workers to unionize in the entire industry, consolidating smaller unions within larger unions.SEIU HealthIn 2007, the SEIU has announced its intention to launch a new joint doctor to serve about one million members, such as nurses and social workers in hospitals and nursing homes. SEIU Health combines financial and human resources of the 38 health unions SEIU Local. 1.9 million members of SEIU, 900,000 work in health care. In September 2008, the SEIU said it would begin several large-scale projects to business leaders, health professionals, community organizations and elected officials to work together in the system of health care nationwide. SEIU leaders were part of a meeting held in May by President Obama to discuss health care reform. More recently, SEIU members attended town hall meetings to decide in favor of the proposed health care reform. In August, the SEIU was part of a group largely funded by the pharmaceutical industry lobby has launched $ 12 million in TV ads to support the proposed Obama health care. This group, Americans for Stable Quality Care, could spend tens of millions more this fall.
SEIU and NUHWThe SEIU has sought to consolidate three local units representing health care workers in the home in one unit last December, taking authority away from local units. The SEIU has accused officials of the local unit of embezzlement and, in response, the local unit leaders criticized the practice of SEIU to centralize power at its headquarters in Washington, and the conclusion of the corruption cases with employers. In January, a member of SEIU Local unit 150 000 in Oakland has been placed under the supervision of the SEIU, and local officials were rejected unit. Expelled officials formed a new union, the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW).
The NUHW announced the first workers had voted in favor of the new union representation in March. Most of the 350 workers of the unions represented in four nursing homes in Northern California managed health care in North America wanted to end his working relationship with SEIU and join NUHW. The day after this announcement, the SEIU filed a complaint for unfair labor practice against the four nursing homes,
alleging that the directors of the schools had illegally withdrawn union recognition and union collusion with a competitor. In the same month, the national director of the Industrial Relations Commission ruled regional working against NUHW, saying that the contract between the SEIU and the hospital chain has impeded the efforts of a new union to represent 14,000 Catholic workers Healthcare West. Despite this decision, the Conference of Foundation for NUHW official launch took place in April 2009. According to the NUHW, approximately 91,000 health workers in California have signed petitions to the Conciliation Board, stating that they would be members of the new union.
The NUHW also says that in response to these players decertification, the SEIU has resorted to harassment and intimidation and similar tactics to prevent binding. SEIU argues that the new group has refused and labor, as well as allegations forced the National Labor Relations Commission unfairly. A decisive battle between the two unions will come in 2010, when the SEIU-UHW contract with Kaiser Permanente expires and the possibility of decertification elections reopens. Kaiser, the largest provider of health services in California, has 50,000 workers could join NUHW.
California Nurses Association / National Nurses Organizing CommitteeThe California Nurses Association (CNA) began as a state chapter of the American Nurses Association (ANA) in 1903. The ANA has a federated structure: Nurses are joining the organization directly, but to join the organization of their respective state, join the ANA. After years of believing that the ANA was not provided adequate financial support to increase the activity of collective bargaining in California, CNA broke ties with the ANA in 1995 and formed their own union, becoming the first organization in the state to secede from the ANA. Since his break with the ANA, NAC has earned a reputation as one of the most aggressive unions in the country. In 2004, the CNA began spreading to other countries such as the National Nursing Committee (NNOC). The ASB voted to seek affiliation with the AFL-CIO in 2007. CNA members has doubled in the past seven years and represents 80,000 members in all 50 states
.UAN-NNOCIn February, the CNA / NNOC, United American Nurses (UAN), and the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) announced the formation of a new union: the United Nurses Organization of Nurse-American National Committee (UAN-NNOC). With a total workforce of more than 150,000 members in 19 states, is the largest nursing union in the history of the United States.
National Federation of NursesThe National Federation of Nurses (NFN) was officially launched in April at an event in Portland, Oregon. The ANC represents more than 70,000 nurses six state nurses associations, including New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Based on a federated model (eg ANA), the ANC recognized the independence of each member organization. Membership is open to state nurses associations and other unions representing nurses. The ANC is related to the ANA, which sets standards for nursing practice, but always opposed nurse unionism, and includes the heads of his leadership. Since union leaders expect a large amount of 15 nurses are unionized nurses to hospitals overflowing with authorization cards if Law Employee Free Choice (EFCA) passes, they want to create their own national union to ensure nurses are organized by nurses.
SEIU and CNA: Violent fights cooperation agreementsSEIU signed a neutrality agreement in March 2008 Ohio Catholic hospital to organize 8,000 workers. The day before the vote was to begin, the CNA shall distribute brochures discourage workers to join the SEIU. After the workers received leaflets against SEIU and according to the direction of an election, SEIU has canceled the vote. Then, at a conference in April 2008 in Detroit, staff and members of SEIU protested at a wedding CNA members, which leads to violence. The two unions have also launched attacks and counter-attacks across the country, and both have sent emails to thousands of nurses (including nurses from other unions and nurses whose unions are now trying to organize) attack each other.
After over a year of fighting, the SEIU and CNA have signed a cooperation agreement in March. They work together to bring union representation to all non-union nurses and other health workers, and improve standards of patient care. The unions also agreed to refrain from looting and other members work together toward common goals, and lobby Congress for passage of the EFCA. SEIU and CNA coordinate campaigns major health systems and to launch an intensive national campaign organization. Catholic hospital chains will probably be one of the first targets.
In June, the Conference of Catholic Bishops and the country's largest unions (including the SEIU and AFL-CIO) U.S. has signed an agreement detailing how the union held institutional Catholic health care. (The document is similar Catholic Healthcare Partners and Community Mercy Health Partners was created last year with the SEIU before the event CNA canceled the vote.) This agreement is important for providers of Catholic health care represent largest employers and providers services in many communities. The agreement provides seven guidelines for Catholic facilities management and health unions, which facilitates the organization of health care workers in these facilities.
What does this mean for your organizationMany experts agree that the enlarged Union with the passage of EFCA will have a negative impact on our health system. Healthcare providers and industry analysts fear that unionization could lead to higher costs and more restrictive work rules, adding to the rising costs of health care. Hospitals and health care should be aware of these problems and how they can educate their supervisors and workers about the threat of unionization.
Communicating with your employees is an essential first step. There are many issues related to potential unionization focus to health (economic factors, working conditions, quality of patient care, employee satisfaction, etc..) To prepare for a possible union activity identify issues that are relevant to your business and meet the needs of the public. Station and include information on your policy without the union in hiring and orientation procedures. Evaluate the structure of wages and benefits, and be sure to promote what you offer.
You can use brochures, meetings, webinars, videos, emails, websites or online learning tools to reach their employees. The most effective efforts include a feedback system that encourages employees bidirectional communication.
Orechwa Walter is the CEO of the projections, Inc. Founded in 1979, the projections is the leading provider of the country, means of communication with employees (video, web, e-learning), which specializes in critical issues such as skills and management training, health problems, layoffs and closures, questions and pensioners, new employee orientations, compliance and business ethics, labor relations and other employment issues.
In addition to traditional care organization health union organizers used more radical corporate campaigns that target hospital donors, shareholders, community groups, and even patients. The unions put pressure on these groups to pressure owners hospitals for unions to organize employees. Many critics have argued that some of these agreements with employers have severely limited the power of workers and emphasized cooperation between the Union and management.
The following article provides an overview of the main unions involved in the industry of health care, as well as strategies to ensure your organization is prepared and remains effective.
Service Employees International UnionThe Union Service Employees International Union (SEIU) began in 1921, primarily as a janitor union and began including government workers, security and health. In 2000, he was the biggest, the fastest growing union in the United States, with much of this growth as a result of a series of strategic mergers with smaller unions. In June 2005, the SEIU and six other unions left the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) to form the Change to Win Coalition. Citing the need to redouble efforts to organize workers, Change to Win is supposed to be focused on achieving fair wages, benefits, health insurance and retirement benefits for all employees. The coalition also encourages workers to unionize in the entire industry, consolidating smaller unions within larger unions.SEIU HealthIn 2007, the SEIU has announced its intention to launch a new joint doctor to serve about one million members, such as nurses and social workers in hospitals and nursing homes. SEIU Health combines financial and human resources of the 38 health unions SEIU Local. 1.9 million members of SEIU, 900,000 work in health care. In September 2008, the SEIU said it would begin several large-scale projects to business leaders, health professionals, community organizations and elected officials to work together in the system of health care nationwide. SEIU leaders were part of a meeting held in May by President Obama to discuss health care reform. More recently, SEIU members attended town hall meetings to decide in favor of the proposed health care reform. In August, the SEIU was part of a group largely funded by the pharmaceutical industry lobby has launched $ 12 million in TV ads to support the proposed Obama health care. This group, Americans for Stable Quality Care, could spend tens of millions more this fall.
SEIU and NUHWThe SEIU has sought to consolidate three local units representing health care workers in the home in one unit last December, taking authority away from local units. The SEIU has accused officials of the local unit of embezzlement and, in response, the local unit leaders criticized the practice of SEIU to centralize power at its headquarters in Washington, and the conclusion of the corruption cases with employers. In January, a member of SEIU Local unit 150 000 in Oakland has been placed under the supervision of the SEIU, and local officials were rejected unit. Expelled officials formed a new union, the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW).
The NUHW announced the first workers had voted in favor of the new union representation in March. Most of the 350 workers of the unions represented in four nursing homes in Northern California managed health care in North America wanted to end his working relationship with SEIU and join NUHW. The day after this announcement, the SEIU filed a complaint for unfair labor practice against the four nursing homes,
alleging that the directors of the schools had illegally withdrawn union recognition and union collusion with a competitor. In the same month, the national director of the Industrial Relations Commission ruled regional working against NUHW, saying that the contract between the SEIU and the hospital chain has impeded the efforts of a new union to represent 14,000 Catholic workers Healthcare West. Despite this decision, the Conference of Foundation for NUHW official launch took place in April 2009. According to the NUHW, approximately 91,000 health workers in California have signed petitions to the Conciliation Board, stating that they would be members of the new union.
The NUHW also says that in response to these players decertification, the SEIU has resorted to harassment and intimidation and similar tactics to prevent binding. SEIU argues that the new group has refused and labor, as well as allegations forced the National Labor Relations Commission unfairly. A decisive battle between the two unions will come in 2010, when the SEIU-UHW contract with Kaiser Permanente expires and the possibility of decertification elections reopens. Kaiser, the largest provider of health services in California, has 50,000 workers could join NUHW.
California Nurses Association / National Nurses Organizing CommitteeThe California Nurses Association (CNA) began as a state chapter of the American Nurses Association (ANA) in 1903. The ANA has a federated structure: Nurses are joining the organization directly, but to join the organization of their respective state, join the ANA. After years of believing that the ANA was not provided adequate financial support to increase the activity of collective bargaining in California, CNA broke ties with the ANA in 1995 and formed their own union, becoming the first organization in the state to secede from the ANA. Since his break with the ANA, NAC has earned a reputation as one of the most aggressive unions in the country. In 2004, the CNA began spreading to other countries such as the National Nursing Committee (NNOC). The ASB voted to seek affiliation with the AFL-CIO in 2007. CNA members has doubled in the past seven years and represents 80,000 members in all 50 states
.UAN-NNOCIn February, the CNA / NNOC, United American Nurses (UAN), and the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) announced the formation of a new union: the United Nurses Organization of Nurse-American National Committee (UAN-NNOC). With a total workforce of more than 150,000 members in 19 states, is the largest nursing union in the history of the United States.
National Federation of NursesThe National Federation of Nurses (NFN) was officially launched in April at an event in Portland, Oregon. The ANC represents more than 70,000 nurses six state nurses associations, including New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Based on a federated model (eg ANA), the ANC recognized the independence of each member organization. Membership is open to state nurses associations and other unions representing nurses. The ANC is related to the ANA, which sets standards for nursing practice, but always opposed nurse unionism, and includes the heads of his leadership. Since union leaders expect a large amount of 15 nurses are unionized nurses to hospitals overflowing with authorization cards if Law Employee Free Choice (EFCA) passes, they want to create their own national union to ensure nurses are organized by nurses.
SEIU and CNA: Violent fights cooperation agreementsSEIU signed a neutrality agreement in March 2008 Ohio Catholic hospital to organize 8,000 workers. The day before the vote was to begin, the CNA shall distribute brochures discourage workers to join the SEIU. After the workers received leaflets against SEIU and according to the direction of an election, SEIU has canceled the vote. Then, at a conference in April 2008 in Detroit, staff and members of SEIU protested at a wedding CNA members, which leads to violence. The two unions have also launched attacks and counter-attacks across the country, and both have sent emails to thousands of nurses (including nurses from other unions and nurses whose unions are now trying to organize) attack each other.
After over a year of fighting, the SEIU and CNA have signed a cooperation agreement in March. They work together to bring union representation to all non-union nurses and other health workers, and improve standards of patient care. The unions also agreed to refrain from looting and other members work together toward common goals, and lobby Congress for passage of the EFCA. SEIU and CNA coordinate campaigns major health systems and to launch an intensive national campaign organization. Catholic hospital chains will probably be one of the first targets.
In June, the Conference of Catholic Bishops and the country's largest unions (including the SEIU and AFL-CIO) U.S. has signed an agreement detailing how the union held institutional Catholic health care. (The document is similar Catholic Healthcare Partners and Community Mercy Health Partners was created last year with the SEIU before the event CNA canceled the vote.) This agreement is important for providers of Catholic health care represent largest employers and providers services in many communities. The agreement provides seven guidelines for Catholic facilities management and health unions, which facilitates the organization of health care workers in these facilities.
What does this mean for your organizationMany experts agree that the enlarged Union with the passage of EFCA will have a negative impact on our health system. Healthcare providers and industry analysts fear that unionization could lead to higher costs and more restrictive work rules, adding to the rising costs of health care. Hospitals and health care should be aware of these problems and how they can educate their supervisors and workers about the threat of unionization.
Communicating with your employees is an essential first step. There are many issues related to potential unionization focus to health (economic factors, working conditions, quality of patient care, employee satisfaction, etc..) To prepare for a possible union activity identify issues that are relevant to your business and meet the needs of the public. Station and include information on your policy without the union in hiring and orientation procedures. Evaluate the structure of wages and benefits, and be sure to promote what you offer.
You can use brochures, meetings, webinars, videos, emails, websites or online learning tools to reach their employees. The most effective efforts include a feedback system that encourages employees bidirectional communication.
Orechwa Walter is the CEO of the projections, Inc. Founded in 1979, the projections is the leading provider of the country, means of communication with employees (video, web, e-learning), which specializes in critical issues such as skills and management training, health problems, layoffs and closures, questions and pensioners, new employee orientations, compliance and business ethics, labor relations and other employment issues.
