After U of Chicago strike, nurses at affiliated hospital vote for unionization

Registered nurses at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Ill., have voted to unionize, according to a news release from the National Nurses Organizing Committee/ National Nurses United.

The union said nurses voted 276-109, during an election conducted Oct. 2 and 3 by the National Labor Relations Board, to join NNOC/NNU.

"We are ready to begin advocating to improve standards for our patients," said Cathy Vaughn, RN,  who works in the special care nursery at Ingalls. "This victory means that decisions about patient care are made at the bedside, not in the boardroom."

The vote comes after about 2,200 nurses at University of Chicago Medical Center in Hyde Park walked off the job Sept. 20. The strike was organized by NNOC/NNU, and the nurses returned to work Sept. 25.

An Ingalls spokesperson told Becker's Hospital Review the hospital is looking at the election results, but meanwhile will continue "to work to provide the best care for our patients, to support our nurses' professional and personal growth and elevate their voices throughout the organization."

"Although the relationship will be different going forward, we are confident we will be able to build on the spirit of teamwork and continue to advance the professional practice of nursing at Ingalls while providing excellent patient care for our neighbors," the spokesperson added. "We look forward to focusing on the future and uniting with our nurses to build on the progress we've made over the last year."

 

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