[Julia RN]

From
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnat...l?ana=from_rss

Mercy part of Catholic Healthcare Partners-SEIU union vote
Business Courier of Cincinnati
Employees at Mercy Health Partners will vote this month on whether or not to join the Service Employees International Union, as part of an agreement between the union and Mercy's parent, Catholic Healthcare Partners.
Cincinnati-based Catholic Healthcare Partners, which operates health-care facilities in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, reached an agreement with the union to allow votes this months at its hospitals in Cincinnati, Springfield and Lima, Ohio, according to a report in the Lima News....
"There will be absolutely no campaigning by either side. The letter that went out to employees on Friday was a joint letter signed by both parties. And the primary focuses from our side in doing this are, No. 1, our employees will have a chance to voice their opinions on whether or not they want to join a union. And two, the 'no campaigning by either side' makes sure that patient care is not compromised in any way as we participate in this election," he said.
A spokeswoman for SEIU District 1199 said the voting will take place among six working groups in each hospital - registered nurses, professionals, technical staff, clerical staff, maintenance workers and support workers. Each will vote separately on whether or not to join the union.

See also:
http://www.limaohio.com/story.php?IDnum=49952

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/se...ioninside.html

[GypsyOrchid]

Ohio RNs are being denied a choice for union representation

Nine hospitals operated by Catholic Healthcare Partners in Ohio are delivering their registered nurses to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) by holding uncontested union elections on March 12-14.
These RNs did not ask to be represented by SEIU. They did not even know an election was being held until two weeks ago when they received a letter signed by both hospital management and the union. The nurses are not being given the opportunity to choose a professional nurses’ union, such as the Ohio Nurses Association, which would truly represent their interests. Less than 2% of SEIU members are RNs.

Suggested Message
To: Catholic Health Association, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops There is a crisis in the state of Ohio that demands your attention. The registered nurses at nine Ohio hospitals, operated by the Catholic Healthcare Partners, are in effect being forced into the Service Employees International Union, a trade union that will not adequately represent their interests. They did not ask to be represented by this union and are not being given the opportunity to choose a professional nurses’ union. The nurses at these hospitals did not even know there would be a union election until two weeks ago, when they received a letter signed by the CHP and SEIU. Less than 2% of SEIU members are registered nurses. RNs unionize to improve patient care through contracts that ensure safe staffing and promote recruitment and retention of nurses. To achieve these goals, they need a professional nurses’ union. As organizations that support the rights of workers across the world, I find it hard to believe that the Catholic Health Association or the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops would support this plan. I urge you to use your voice and your influence to allow the registered nurses in Ohio to have a genuine choice about who represents them. [/b][b]Ohio RNs are being denied a choice for union representation

Help protect the rights of Ohio RNs to choose the union that will best represent them. The accompanying message can be used in e-mails of support.

Copy (or cut and paste) the suggested message content for your correspondence, and customize as desired. The messages will be forwarded to the Catholic Health Association, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Ohio nurses.


Please spread the word! We have only a few short days to turn this around!

[Julia RN]

"Help protect the rights of Ohio RNs to choose the union that will best represent them. The accompanying message can be used in e-mails of support.

Copy (or cut and paste) the suggested message content for your correspondence, and customize as desired. The messages will be forwarded to the Catholic Health Association, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Ohio nurses. "



Was there a link to a site to do this from or an email address to send the message to?

[GypsyOrchid]

Originally Posted by Julia RN

"Help protect the rights of Ohio RNs to choose the union that will best represent them. The accompanying message can be used in e-mails of support.

Copy (or cut and paste) the suggested message content for your correspondence, and customize as desired. The messages will be forwarded to the Catholic Health Association, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Ohio nurses. "



Was there a link to a site to do this from or an email address to send the message to?

Hi,

yes, NYSNA is collecting the emails and fowarding them. you can email
ohio_action@nysna.org

[pickledpepperRN]

CHP has adopted a strategy to silence RNs and deny you a democratic choice.

CHP has signed an illegal back room deal with the Service Employees Union (SEIU) intended to force RNs into this non-RN union.

The elections scheduled for March 12-14 will not give you a choice of a professional nurses union….

… The only union CHP is letting you vote for is the union hand-picked by Catholic Healthcare Partners, the non-RN Service Employees Union. Millions of Ohioans had a choice of Presidential candidates to vote for
on March 4.
Why shouldn’t Ohio RNs have a choice of which union you want to represent you?CHP RNs deserve a REAL choice.
CHP RNs deserve to decide for yourselves what union you want to represent you, not have your union hand-picked by your employer. Why should the hospital choose YOUR union?
CHP RNs deserve to be part of a professional RN union, not a Service Employees union.
http://www.calnurses.org/nnoc/ohio/rns-for-democracy/

Some Facts: http://www.calnurses.org/nnoc/ohio/r...acy/facts.html

[Julia RN]

The thread from the Ohio forum and this one should be merged, no?
I didn't see the thread in the Ohio forum when I started this one, and don't want to be repetitive.
TY

[Julia RN]

Does anyone know where the Ohio Nurses Association stands on this? Don't see anything on their website.

Did CNA introduce the staffing ratio legislation in Ohio, yet?

[GypsyOrchid]

Originally Posted by Julia RN

Does anyone know where the Ohio Nurses Association stands on this? Don't see anything on their website.

Did CNA introduce the staffing ratio legislation in Ohio, yet?

http://www.ohnurses.org/AM/Template....CONTENTID=2383

Ohio RNs are Being Denied a Choice for Union Representation

Nurses rely on the Ohio Nurses Association for guidance, strength, protection and promotion of their profession at the workplace, and ONA is deeply committed to their economic and general welfare.

ONA is not only the premier professional association for Ohio's registered nurses, it is also the union for the thousands of nurses who have chosen ONA for representation through its Economic & General Welfare Program. Nurse educators, health care researchers, and other scholars recognize the important role unions can play in advancing professional nursing and improving patient care, as do the members of the Ohio Nurses Association. That is why so many of them have opted to organize for collective bargaining.

Nine hospitals operated by Catholic Healthcare Partners in Ohio are allowing the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to hold uncontested union elections on March 12-14.

The RNs at these hospitals did not ask to be represented by SEIU. They did not even know an election was being held until two weeks ago when they received a letter signed by both hospital management and the union. The nurses are not being given the opportunity to choose a professional nurses’ union, such as the Ohio Nurses Association, which would truly represent their interests.

Help protect the rights of Ohio RNs to choose the union that will best represent them by supporting us in our effort to allow RNs in Ohio to have an actual choice about who represents them. If you would like additional information about this issue or how you can help, please contact Brett Anderson, Economic & General Welfare Program Director, at 614-448-1021 or banderson@ohnurses.org. Thank you for your support!

[Julia RN]

Thanks.
I'd missed the article on ONA.

Some of the workers must have asked for SEIU for management to have agreed to be neutral, no?

One of the articles in my original post states it was a group of nurses another article doesn't specify but says a group of 45 workers asked
for SEIU. It's also reported that each group of workers (six classifications- registered nurses, professionals, technical staff, clerical staff, maintenance workers and support workers) will vote separately to determine whether they will be represented by SEIU.

Too bad one of the nurses unions can't be on the ballot for the RNs. I wonder if they have tried or why they can't try now. I know it was short notice that the election was going to happen, but this has clearly been brewing for several years.

[pickledpepperRN]

RNs Denounce Sham Election in Nine Ohio Hospitals,
Hospital Chain Seeks to Impose Hand-Picked Union

The nation's largest organization of registered nurses today denounced what it called undemocratic sham union elections scheduled this week at nine hospitals in Cincinnati, Springfield, and Lima.

The hospitals are part of the Catholic Healthcare Partners chain which petitioned for a federal labor board election following a secret deal with the Service Employees International Union that would impose SEIU as the company's hand-picked union for 8,000 RNs and other hospital employees....

http://www.calnurses.org/media-cente...ked-union.html

RATIO PETITION:
http://www.calnurses.org/nnoc/ohio/o...ios_signup.pdf

OHIO page:
http://www.calnurses.org/nnoc/ohio/