Labor & Employment Law

Report: Ascension Hospitals Disrespect Nurses? Rights

By James Parks

Three Michigan hospitals affiliated with Ascension Health System consistently refuse to respect workers’ freedom to join a union and bargain collectively, according to a new report by Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ). The report shows the Catholic hospitals? actions directly oppose long-standing Catholic social teachings. In fact, IWJ says, the anti-union behavior and worker disrespect demonstrated in the report represent ?a fall from grace,? and so named the report: ?Ascension Health: A Fall From Grace.?

In May 2010, a fact-finding delegation of 11 religious leaders, affiliated with IWJ, met with representatives of Ascension and visited employees of the hospitals?St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospitals in Warren and Madison Heights, Genesys Regional Medical Center in Grand Blanc and Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. Some 700 registered nurses, members of the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA), an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), are involved in an ongoing struggle to gain a new collective bargaining agreement.

The delegation called on Ascension Health to return to its mission of non-profit, faith-based values and to respect workers? rights by following the recommendations outlined in numerous Catholic teachings that urge respect for workers? rights.

Ascension Health’s actions hurt all nurses and patients, said NNU Co-President Jean Ross.  

When hospital management is allowed to disrespect nurses who are the backbone of the hospital, safe patient care is at risk. Our union won’t back down from our support for these courageous nurses. We will keep fighting and speaking out until justice is done.

You can download a full copy of the report here.

Last week, the National Labor Relations Board charged the Borgess hospital with multiple unfair labor practices, including illegally restraining and coercing employees, unlawfully discriminating against employees in the terms and conditions of employment and refusing to bargain in good faith with the MNA.  

“The nurses at Borgess refuse to be victims and we are standing strong and united for our rights on the job, for our profession, for our patients and for our community,” said Monica Walker, RN, a nurse at Borgess.  

My co-workers and I are going to hold firm until a fair agreement is negotiated. We owe it to ourselves and our patients to ensure that Borgess is a decent place to work and a hospital where nurses are allowed to deliver quality health care.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on July 19, 2010 (boomark / email).