News & Events
NOCH signs settlement agreement with NLRB for nurses
08.09.2011
Contact:
Mary Holbrook
517.230.4086
mary.holbrook@minurses.org
August 9, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Grand Haven, MI – It took almost six months, but two nurses at the North Ottawa Community Hospital have finally received vindication from the Employer.
On February 8, 2011, the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) stating that the Hospital was refusing to provide the necessary information to represent the nurses’ termination. The NLRB agreed and issued a complaint against NOCH asserting that NOCH violated the NLRA by failing to provide the information and failing to negotiate a reasonable accommodation with MNA for the information that NOCH claimed was confidential. In addition, NOCH unreasonably delayed providing the information.
The issue was set to go to trial on Wednesday, August 3 but on Monday, August 1 MNA was notified that NOCH would instead be signing the settlement. The settlement requires NOCH to put up a posting as a notice to their employees, and that NOCH must comply with the statements in the posting.
“The MNA felt this was a very important issue for the RNs we represent at NOCH, especially because they were not being treated the same way that many of the other RNs in our bargaining units around the state are treated,” said Anita Szczepankisi, MNA Labor Attorney. “At other bargaining units, the employer is more than willing to negotiate reasonable confidentiality agreements with the MNA when the MNA requests confidential documents in order to represent grievants. NOCH significantly delayed in providing a response to MNA’s requests and was not willing to negotiate any confidentiality agreement in order to meet their obligations under the NLRA as other health care employers have done. The delay in responding caused in part the MNA to delay the processing of the grievances of the two terminated nurses. “I am hopeful that the requirement of the Hospital in the settlement agreement to post a notice for the employees stating it will do the right thing in the future will lead the Hospital to do just that (the right thing) the next time around.”
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The Michigan Nurses Association is the largest, most effective union for RNs in Michigan. As the voice of all registered nurses in Michigan, MNAadvocatesfor nurses and their patients at the State Capitol, in the community, and at the bargaining table. MNAisa constituent member of National Nurses United and an affiliate of the AFL-CIO.
