St. Joseph Health Humboldt County and the National Union of Healthcare Workers reached a payment-free settlement earlier this month over allegations filed against the hospital chain following a contract dispute that resulted in a 24-hour strike in November 2019.þþFollowing the strike, multiple allegations were filed with the National Labor Relations Board claiming coercive tactics were used against employees who were part of the union including a threat to “lockout” participants. The NUHW claimed an estimated 150 employees were affected by the move. The hospital, at the time, said it brought in replacement workers on five-day contracts, something that was called a common practice for workers who had to travel to fill in shifts.þþIn the end, some of the allegations were dropped and a single charge of coercion is what makes up the basis of the settlement.þþ“Through the joint investigation of those charges … it was uncovered that there was this threat, this extreme threat made by a supervisor to employees that participated in the strike,” said Latika Malkani, the attorney for the NUHW, which represents an estimated 500 workers at St. Joseph Hospital and Redwood Memorial.þþThe settlement mandates St. Joseph Hospital post a notice for 60 days that notifies union members of their rights and that the hospital “will not interfere with, restrain, or coerce you in the exercise of (those) rights.”þþAs part of the settlement, the hospital “does not admit that it has violated the National Labor Relations Act.”þþ“St. Joseph Health, Humboldt County was pleased to learn that the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) has dropped three unfair labor practice charges alleging an unlawful ‘lockout’ after the union’s November 2019 strike,” St. Joseph Health said in a statement provide by spokesman Christian Hill. “NUHW’s attorneys dropped the charges shortly before the NLRB was due to rule on their merits. A remaining charge unrelated to the bargaining process was settled without any monetary payment.”þþWhile the notice is posted at the hospital advising union members of their rights, staff from the National Labor Relations Board might visit to “inspect the notices,” a letter sent by the NLRB field examiner Lana Pfeifer to the hospital states.þþPfeifer goes on to state the NLRB will close the case completely after the agreement terms have been satisfied and “there are no reported violations of its negative terms.”þþ“If any similar type of coercive behavior occurs, then the settlement can be taken into consideration and the consequences could be more severe,” said Malkani. “So it does serve as a deterrent to other future similar violations. My understanding is the supervisor in question has been sort of educated on what is proper behavior and that the hospital admits that was improper and (it) won’t happen again.”þþ
Source: www.times-standard.com
