On the picket line

Florida nurses join union

On Nov. 15, 550 registered nurses at Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee, Fla., voted overwhelmingly to join the National Nurses Organizing Committee-Florida, an affiliate of National Nurses United. Of the RNs voting, 92 percent agreed to be represented by NNOC-Florida. The hospital is part of the Hospital Corporation of America, the largest hospital system in the U.S. The nurses at Osceola are the first at several HCA hospitals in Florida who will soon vote on affiliation with NNOC-Florida. After the Osceola RNs choose leaders to represent them in contract talks, they will negotiate their first contract. Key issues include nurse-to-patient staffing ratios, a patient-care monitoring committee run by direct-care RNs, and improved health coverage and retirement benefits. As labor and delivery nurse Sharon Bray said, “Through NNOC-Florida, Osceola RNs can truly put patients first. With the support of all our colleagues, we can work together to build nurse power and strengthen our voice in our hospital and beyond.” (AFL-CIO blog, Nov. 16)

Michigan nurses avoid strike

Registered nurses and health care professionals at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Mich., reached a tentative agreement Nov. 18 on a new three-year contract, avoiding both a strike and a lockout set for Nov. 22. The 2,100 employees, members of the Michigan Nurses Association/Professional Employees Council of Sparrow Hospital, an affiliate of National Nurses United, had voted to strike Nov. 22 if no agreement had been reached. Meanwhile hospital management had threatened to lock them out if they did not accept its final offer. Under the agreement, both sides withdrew their threatened actions. Some of the terms include increased nurse staffing levels, a wage increase, and changes in the health and retirement programs. Sparrow RNs had said their main priority was to elevate the standard of care for patients and community. Increased nurse staffing levels will help. (AFL-CIO blog, Nov. 19)

Atlantic City casino dealers ratify first contract

In mid-November, three years after joining the United Auto Workers, dealers at Caesars Atlantic City Casino were finally able to vote on their first contract, which contained 18 percent raises and improved benefits. This is the second such pact approved by Atlantic City dealers in three months. The first was at the Tropicana Casino & Resort, where dealers won similar raises. Full and part-time dealers and slot technicians at Trump Plaza and Bally’s also voted to join the UAW in 2007, but casino operators have either refused to bargain or stalled negotiations. (AFL-CIO blog, Nov. 18)

Support fair election for Delta flight attendants

After a Nov. 3 announcement that Delta flight attendants had lost union representation by 328 votes out of more than 18,000 cast, the Association of Flight Attendants-Communication Workers of America vowed to file interference charges with the National Mediation Board against Delta Air Lines. AFA-CWA did so on Nov. 23, charging the airline had used intimidation and other unlawful tactics to unfairly influence the vote. The union claims Delta compromised the secrecy of the ballot by urging workers to vote on company-controlled work computers where management could track employee e-mails. Hundreds of Delta attendants (many former Northwest employees who have had collective bargaining rights for more than 60 years) submitted reports outlining management actions, including excessive surveillance by supervisors and repeated calls to personal phones, designed to influence the election. The NMB can order an election rerun if it finds sufficient evidence of interference. To support Delta flight attendants, sign a petition telling Delta CEO Richard Anderson to respect workers’ right to bargain collectively. Go to www.change.org and search for the petition “Tell Delta to stop union busting.” (CWA, Nov. 23)