By L.M. Sixel
Houston Chronicle
April 29, 2010

For the second time in two years, nurses at Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center voted in favor of union representation.

The National Labor Relations Board announced that the nurses rejected, by a 113-97 vote, an employee's request to decertify the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee as their representative. It has represented the nurses since 2008.

The vote was last June, but the ballots weren't counted until this week because of unresolved unfair labor practice charges, according to the NLRB.

Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center said in a statement that it was disappointed by the vote, but will not let the election results distract the hospital from its focus of providing quality care to its patients. The center is owned by Tenet Healthcare Corp.

The union called the vote a “dramatic expression of support,” and said it hopes the nurses now will be able to negotiate their first contract.