RNs move forward with union drive to win voice in patient care

Orlando Health registered nurses are hailing a major settlement reached with the  healthcare system as a critical win for nurses’ ability to freely exercise their democratic right to organize for a voice in patient care, the National Nurses Organizing Committee-Florida, (NNOC), announced today.
 
The RNs have been seeking collective representation to improve patient care conditions with NNOC-Florida, an affiliate of National Nurses United, the nation’s largest organization of RNs. In an attempt to suppress their efforts, Orlando Health waged a campaign of harassment and intimidation against the nurses.
 
The new agreement resolves unfair labor practice charges filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) last October on behalf of the RNs by NNOC-Florida. The NLRB’s Tampa Regional Director had ordered a hearing on the violations of federal law by a number of Orlando Health managers earlier this year. This settlement was reached in order to avoid further litigation and Orlando Health does not admit any violations occurred.

“I am thrilled to announce that as a result of this settlement, several cases where disciplines had been unfairly issued to my coworkers have been removed from our records,” said Stacey LaRoche, an RN who works at Winnie Palmer. “This recognizes our right to organize and we have won the respect we know we deserve.”
 
Some highlights of the settlement Orlando Health agreed to:

• Remove all disciplinary actions taken against RNs for exercising their right to organize,
• End surveillance of union activities, and threats of reprisals to RNs because of their union activity,
• Stop the interrogation of nurses about their union activities or sympathies,
• End the discriminatory enforcement of off-duty access rules against nurses based on their support of NNOC and allow RNs to have access to hospital break rooms while off duty to talk about why they support NNOC.

NNOC-Florida already represents RNs at:
Blake Medical Center, Bradenton; Doctor's Hospital of Sarasota; Fawcett Memorial Hospital, Port Charlotte; Florida Medical Center, Fort Lauderdale; Largo Medical Center, Largo; Central Florida Regional Medical Center, Sanford; Medical Center of Trinity, Trinity; Northside Hospital, St. Petersburg; Oak Hill Hospital, Brooksville; Osceola Regional Medical Center, Kissimmee; Palmetto General Hospital, Hialeah; St. Petersburg General Hospital, and the Veteran Affairs Hospitals in Lake City, Miami and Tampa.