Subject: Healthcare’s Rinse-And-Repeat Strike Cycle: LRI INK

December 08, 2022

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Healthcare's Rinse-And-Repeat Strike Cycle

by Kimberly Ricci

A tale as old as modern time: unions promise the world, fail to deliver results, and both companies and workers pay the price. The healthcare industry is no exception to this general rule, and the results are on display following a rash of summer-to-fall strikes by hospital workers, many of whom returned to work without settling core grievances.

 

Some of those strikes broke records for their duration and attendance, which further stressed facilities already pushed to the brink by the ongoing pandemic. Yet unions keep pushing for double-digit raises for nurses and other healthcare workers, and additional lengthy bargaining table sessions can lead to repeat strikes.

 

We almost saw it happen this month. Or at least, we are seeing the late-breaking aversion of another walkout from the Minnesota Nurses Association, which waged a 3-day September strike by 15,000 nurses, who headed back to work without meaningful results. The union followed up with a rally to demand 30% pay increases, and workers voted to authorize a second, longer strike that was set to begin on Dec. 11. The union suggested that this strike could run through Dec. 31, but as of Dec. 7, deals have been struck with multiple hospitals. Only St. Luke’s Lake View Hospital continues to negotiate with the union, and talks will begin again on Dec. 9. 

 

Here’s a roundup of other notable healthcare strike news, which include some aversions that arrived with steep price tags. We will begin with multiple California updates:

  • A California SEIU local announced that nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare workers authorized a strike at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center. Further announcements on the timing will be forthcoming. 

  • Elsewhere in California, Tenet Hospital averted a planned strike by 850 workers after the National Union of Healthcare Workers union and Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center reached a new contract. 

  • The California Nurses Association recently announced a strike cancellation for 1,000 nurses at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center following a tentative agreement between the union and facility. That strike aversion arrived with a pricey 22.5% pay boost for over 21,000 total workers over a few years.

  • Connecticut’s Windham Hospital finally reached the end of nearly year-long contract negotiations between the facility and the union, which sent 100 nurses to the picket lines in October and threatened a second strike.

 

Meanwhile, Canada’s five biggest healthcare unions came together in Ontario to urge action from Premier Doug Ford. The unions argue that Ford and Health Minister Sylvia Jones have failed to help hospitals retain staff, who are reportedly nearing 15% turnover and could spark the collapse of the healthcare system.

Links

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Union Bailout

 

Turnover Time At The NLRB         

https://bit.ly/3VBeW8s

 

The NLRB Region 10 Bargaining Unit Will Picket To Demand Increased Funding

https://bit.ly/3h94YvU

 

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Right-To-Work Battle Looms In Michigan: Businesses Fear Repeal

https://bit.ly/3VwH3Wa

 

Repeal Right-To-Work At Our Own Risk (Op-Ed)

https://bit.ly/3VwZ9rh

 

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Union Corruption

 

Former Sports Anchor, Union Official Sentenced To Probation For His Role In Corruption Scandal

https://bit.ly/3VqTeDY

 

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Organizing


Starbucks Illegally Refused To Negotiate With Union, NLRB Rules

https://bit.ly/3FoUBgM

 

The NLRB Says Apple Interrogated And Coerced Employes In Atlanta 

https://bit.ly/3UIuJkI

 

Amazon Blasted By NLRB Over Court Order

https://bit.ly/3VC3OIA

 

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Tech/Media

 

New York Times Staffers To Stage First Strike In Over 40 Years Thursday

https://bit.ly/3Y5MtZU

 

1,000 NYT Journalists, Workers Begin One-Day Strike

https://bit.ly/3PastBk

 

Video Game Workers Launch Union Drive at Microsoft-Owned ZeniMax Studios

https://bit.ly/3BclkuO

 

Union Says Microsoft Will Recognize Unit Of Videogame Testers

https://bit.ly/3h3pIoV

 

Nickelodeon Animation Production Workers Move To Unionize

https://bit.ly/3Y32HD6

 

Second Group Of Activision Blizzard Workers Votes To Unionize In NLRB Election

https://bit.ly/3H8zuAA

 

NLRB Shuts Down Activision Blizzard's Attempt To Invalidate Union Vote

https://bit.ly/3H58aU5

 

Labor Board Outlaws T-Mobile's Company Union

https://bit.ly/3F36yrf

 

Elon Musk's Latest Headache: Twitter Office Janitors Go On Strike

https://bit.ly/3UtCBX2

 

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UAW/Manufacturing

            

UAW Election Results Signal 'Discontent' Among Members As Reformers Notch Big Wins

https://bit.ly/3VV8EQV

 

UAW Members Send Presidential Race To Runoff, Oust 4 Incumbent Leaders

https://bit.ly/3ipXfKa

 

Reformers Take 6 Of 14 UAW Board Seats, Could Win Majority

https://bit.ly/3iy4AHM

 

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Education

 

UAW Strike Stuns University Of California In 10 Cities, Heads Into Fourth Week

https://bit.ly/3UEViqY

 

Yale Union Election Is Latest Move In Campus Labor Renaissance 

https://bit.ly/3OYDmWU

 

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Transportation

 

Some Rail Workers Say Biden ‘Turned His Back On Us’ In Deal To Avert Rail Strike

https://bit.ly/3h1jHsY

 

After Forcing Rail Deal, Biden Works To Smooth Over Labor Relations https://bit.ly/3OYhj2t

 

'Political Pawns': Livid Railway Workers Warn Biden That Union Agreement Will ‘Definitely’ Impact Next Election

https://bit.ly/3XYVjca

 

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Aviation

 

Delta, Pilots Reach Labor Deal With 34% Pay Hike

https://bit.ly/3VXsXwK

 

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Minimum Rising

 

Possible Wage Boost Worries Local Restaurants

https://bit.ly/3VU3Fjp

 

Bill Would Stop Spike In Minimum Wage For Tipped Workers, Boost Regular Wage To $12 Per Hour

https://bit.ly/3BcikP0

 

Mexico To Hike Minimum Wage 20% In 2023, Raising Inflation Worries

https://bit.ly/3P2PpCo

About Labor Relations INK

Labor Relations INK is published weekly and is edited by Labor Relations Institute, Inc. Feel free to pass this newsletter on to anyone you think might enjoy it. New subscribers can sign up by visiting here.


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Contributing editors for this issue: Phillip Wilson, Greg Kittinger, and Kimberly Ricci 


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About Labor Relations Institute

LRI exists to help our clients thrive and become extraordinary workplaces. We improve the lives of working people by strengthening relationships with their leaders and each other. For over 41 years LRI has led the labor and employee relations industry, driven by our core values and our proven process, the LRI Way.

 

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