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NLRB's St. Francis decision signals broader-based bargaining units
Health Progress (Saint Louis, Mo.)
|April 10, 1985
Summary
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) revised hospital bargaining unit standards in the St. Francis decision, leading to broader units. Employers can support these broader units by demonstrating shared interests among employees.
Area of Science:
- Labor Relations
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has historically certified numerous bargaining units in hospitals.
- Recent court rejections prompted the NLRB to reassess its approach to healthcare bargaining units.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the impact of the NLRB's St. Francis decision on hospital bargaining unit structures.
- To outline strategies for employers to establish broader, more appropriate bargaining units.
Main Methods:
- Review of the NLRB's St. Francis decision and its implications.
- Analysis of criteria for establishing employee mutuality of interest in broader units.
Main Results:
- The St. Francis decision mandates unusually sharp differences in employee conditions for separate units, resulting in broader hospital bargaining units.
- Previous NLRB certifications remain valid, and existing bargaining obligations are unaffected.
Conclusions:
- Hospitals must adapt to the new, broader bargaining unit standards set by the NLRB.
- Employers can leverage centralized programs and shared interests to support the creation and maintenance of broad bargaining units.