Judge says Affinity Medical Center must reinstate nurse, recognize union

allnurses Guide · Feb 13, 2014

Perhaps this nurses will get his job back too: https://allnurses.com/collective-bargaining-nursing/judge-says-affinity-905609.html

Selfie · Feb 13, 2014

One step in the right direction.

lub dub · Feb 13, 2014

Live better - work union!!!!! :yes:

Sam J. · Feb 13, 2014

Good for her. But in reality, won't they (Affinity) just put a target on Ann's back, and scrutinize her every move in order to justify terminating her for another reason? It can't make for a comfortable working relationship.

Pudnluv, ASN, RN · Feb 14, 2014

Good for her. But in reality, won't they (Affinity) just put a target on Ann's back, and scrutinize her every move in order to justify terminating her for another reason? It can't make for a comfortable working relationship.

I would think they would tread carefully. They have already been found guilty of unfair labor practice. The last thing they would need to is a suit claiming a hostile work environment.

allnurses Guide · Feb 14, 2014

Nurse returns to Affinity after judge rules reinstatement

A registered nurse was greeted with paper lanterns, bag pipes, flowers and supporters Thursday morning as she returned to work at Affinity Medical Center more than a year after being terminated by the hospital....

... The judge also ordered an end to disciplining, discharging and reporting employees to the State Board of Nursing because of union "activities, sympathies or support" and to stop threats of harm to registered nurses who submit forms to management objecting to unsafe patient care assignments.

Susan Koosh, vice president of marketing and community relations at Affinity, provided an emailed statement on behalf of the hospital: "Out of respect for the court, we will comply with all aspects of the ruling."...

Read more: http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20140213/News/140219566#ixzz2tJvxqla1

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Feb 14, 2014

Nurse returns to Affinity after judge rules reinstatement
A registered nurse was greeted with paper lanterns, bag pipes, flowers and supporters Thursday morning as she returned to work at Affinity Medical Center more than a year after being terminated by the hospital....
... The judge also ordered an end to disciplining, discharging and reporting employees to the State Board of Nursing because of union "activities, sympathies or support" and to stop threats of harm to registered nurses who submit forms to management objecting to unsafe patient care assignments.
Susan Koosh, vice president of marketing and community relations at Affinity, provided an emailed statement on behalf of the hospital: "Out of respect for the court, we will comply with all aspects of the ruling."...
Read more: Nurse returns to Affinity after judge rules reinstatement - News - The CantonRep - Canton, OH

Oh, and Susan? Did you think you had an option NOT to respect the court's authority and comply with its order? Just sayin'.

allnurses Guide · Feb 20, 2014

allnurses Guide · Feb 8, 2015

CHS Ordered to Pay $2 Million For Ohio RN Fired and Defamed for Patient Advocacy, Union Activity

A civil jury has ordered an Ohio hospital, part of one of the most notorious anti-union hospital chains in the U.S., to pay over $2 million in damages for its actions against Ann Wayt, an Ohio nurse it fired, illegally sought to have her nursing license revoked, and then defamed in retaliation for her outspoken patient advocacy and support for her union.

In a unanimous verdict, the Stark County, Ohio jury Friday ordered Affinity Medical Center of Massillon, Oh., operated by Tennessee-based Community Health Systems chain, to pay Wayt $800,000 for defamation of her character and another $750,000 in punitive damages. Affinity was also ordered to pay her attorney fees.

The decision came over two years after Wayt was fired, and just over a year after a U.S. District Court Judge delivered a sweeping cease and desist injunction ordering Affinity to reinstate Wayt and end a broad array of lawless behavior in illegal discipline and harassment of its RNs as well as refusing to bargain with its RNs and their union, National Nurses Organizing Committee-Ohio.

NNOC Ohio is the state affiliate of National Nurses United, the largest U.S. organization of RNs.

"NNU offers our heartfelt congratulations to Ann Wayt both for her steadfast advocacy for her patients and colleagues, and her refusal to be intimidated by a lawless employer,â€ said NNOC Co-President Malinda Markowitz, RN.

This verdict should be a message to a particularly vindictive system, CHS, and to all hospitals across the nation that nurses will not be silent when you trample on their rights and try to silence their voice â€” and that our union will stand up with you," Markowitz added....

... Wayt, a prominent union supporter in the hospital's orthopedics unit, where union support was particularly strong,â€ as a National Labor Relations Board Judge Arthur Amchan later noted, was directly targeted, as symbolized by the decision of the hospital to begin an investigation against her on the very day of the election. NNOC-Ohio initiated the case by filing charges with the NLRB.

Affinity management then trumped up charges of patient care misconduct that Amchan termed in July 2013, a pretext to retaliate against her for her union activityâ€ despite a long spotlessâ€ record as an RN.

Affinity not only fired Wayt, it then went to the Ohio Board of Nursing attempting to pressure it to revoke Wayt's nursing license.

Noting the clear violation of federal labor law rights, Amchan concluded it is hard to imagine a more effective coercive message to the union supportersâ€¦ than the termination of a long-term employee with no (or no known) prior disciplinary record.â€ Wayt has worked at Affinity for 24 years and in 2008 Affinity provided clear recognition of her achievements by presenting her the Nurse Excellence Award....

... Though Affinity was forced to offer Wayt a return to the hospital bedside, it has failed to refrain from defamatory activity against her. Wayt responded with the civil suit that led to the verdict today. Affinity is also stalling in court-ordered bargaining with the nurses' union.

CHS Ordered to Pay $2 Million For Ohio RN Fired and Defamed for Patient Advocacy, Union Activity | National Nurses United

Another thread about this hospital:
https://allnurses.com/collective-bargaining-nursing/nlrb-orders-medical-902153.html

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Feb 8, 2015

great news!!!! :up:

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Feb 10, 2015

I always wonder where such people get their courage. Is it moral outrage over an unfair and abusive boss?

Is it courage galvanized by the basic obligation of nurses to take care of those in their care? Are some people just born with more backbone than others? None of us know what we will or won't do, but I don't think I'd have the strength to fight the good fight for years. It makes me feel better about our world that there are still people who do.

I think I'd like to work with her. Those that do are lucky, contrary to what Affinity Medical Center says.