Unionization in hospitals: causes, effects, and prevention strategies

Unionization pressure on hospitals has increased steadily since passage of the 1974 amendment to the National Labor Relations Act extending protection of organizing and collective bargaining to nonproprietary hospital facilities. This article analyzes the current state of knowledge on unionization in hospitals in regard to: future organizing pressures, the impact of collective bargaining on operations, the psychology of organizing, and the fundamental elements of a strategy for improving employee relations and avoiding organization.