Last week,
the NLRB officially certified the
results of an
election in which approximately 700 workers at Seton Medical Center and Seton Coastside Hospital voted to leave SEIU-UHW
and join NUHW. The two hospitals are located just south of San Francisco, California.
In March of
2014, the workers -- who’d been members of SEIU-UHW for many years -- voted to
join NUHW after SEIU-UHW's Dave Reagan teamed up with hospital's bosses to
eliminate workers’ defined-benefit pension plan, slash their health
benefits, and implement other cuts to workers' wages, benefits and working
conditions.
Regan jammed
the unpopular cuts down workers’ throats by orchestrating a
ramrod ratification vote that violated SEIU-UHW's own Constitution.
In March of
2014, workers voted to ditch SEIU-UHW and join NUHW. Next, SEIU-UHW filed
multiple legal appeals in an attempt to overturn the workers' decision.
On November
2, 2015 -- nearly 20 months after workers voted to dump SEIU-UHW -- the
NLRB's highest body tossed out all of SEIU-UHW's challenges after noting that SEIU-UHW
failed to present any credible evidence in support of its claims.
Why did it
take the NLRB nearly 20 months to reach a decision, especially when SEIU-UHW couldn't
even back up its allegations? Observers say it's a reflection of SEIU's
inappropriate influence inside the NLRB.
Congratulations
to Seton workers for their persistence and determination!
More to follow.
