website maker Labor board says Hospital to bargain in good faith with union
EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio – Ohio Nurses Association (ONA) represented nurses at Prime Healthcare’s East Liverpool City Hospital are celebrating a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) resolution of unfair labor practice charges filed in 2020 and 2021.
The federal agency agreed with ONA that the Hospital failed to properly compensate nurses and therefore must retroactively pay nurses who were employed between June 14, 2020 and December 13, 2020 . The payments total more than $170,000, with more than forty nurses receiving amounts ranging from $1,000 to more than $5,000.
East Liverpool City Hospital must also bargain in good faith with the nurses’ union over a new contract. The NLRB issues a complaint against the Hospital for their refusal to do so as required by federal law. The Hospital must also provide union negotiators with negotiations-related information to in accordance with federal law.
As part of the settlement agreement between the parties, the Hospital must read aloud to employees a government-approved notice informing employees and the public that the Hospital will not violate nurses’ federal labor rights, will bargain in good faith, will not prematurely declare impasse in negotiations, or circumvent the nurses’ union. The notice must be posted in conspicuous places in the Hospital and on the Hospital’s Facebook account, as well as emailed to all Hospital employees.
“This has been a long, hard-fought battle. Our nurses are resilient, and I thank them for continued strength and unity as we continue to fight for the betterment of our hospital and patients,” commented Bobbie Kerns, President of the East Liverpool Nurses Association and ICU nurse. “With the NLRB’s finding merit to our charges, and subsequent settlement of the case, we’re hopeful that the Hospital will finally be willing to work with us to reach a fair agreement that will attract and keep good nurses at our community hospital.”
The Hospital initially denied any wrongdoing after the NLRB issued federal labor charges at the end of 2021.
Bargaining between the two parties will resume at a date that is to be determined. The nurses have been working without a labor agreement since 2020.
###
Contact: Molly Homan, Ohio Nurses Association | 614-746-9914 | [email protected]