Nurses at Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital in Baltimore are accusing Ascension management of illegally refusing to respect the nurses' right to organize.
The allegation follows a petition filed with the National Labor Relations Board on behalf of nurses seeking to vote on whether to unionize. The petition was filed July 28 by the National Nurses Organizing Committee, an affiliate of National Nurses United. The union seeks to represent 500 full-time, regular part-time and per diem registered nurses who work at the hospital, which is part of St. Louis-based Ascension.
During the organizing campaign, the union has filed complaints with the National Labor Relations Board related to what it says are unfair labor practices by Ascension management, according to an NNOC/NNU news release.
The union specifically alleges unfair labor practices including unlawfully threatening to withdraw and withdrawing benefits from employees because of the unionization efforts and unlawfully making promises and/or granting benefits to stifle the organizing campaign.
The union also accuses Ascension management of unlawfully soliciting grievances to stifle its organizing campaign and unlawfully surveilling employees engaged in union or other protected activities.
"The registered nurses at Saint Agnes have come together to form a union to improve patient care at our hospital and to better serve our community," Kimmy Rider, RN, said in the release. “If we succeed, we will be the first union hospital for nurses in Baltimore. This is why management is fighting so hard to stop us.
"As nurses, we know our patients can't wait for improvements in care and this means we must have a real voice in patient care. That's why we are committed to ensuring that this union election moves forward."
As of Sept. 28, the National Labor Relations Board has not set an election date.
Ascension, in a statement shared with Becker's, said that as it awaits an election date to be set, it "continue[s] to act in accordance with the National Labor Relations Act and are committed to ensuring our associates are able to make an informed decision regarding whether or not they want to be represented by a union."
The health system added that it respects its workers' right to organize, consistent with the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, and will honor the decision employees make on election day.