Published Friday, Oct. 5, 2001
SHARON
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Sharon Regional fired pro-union workers, labor board alleges
Herald Business Editor
The National Labor Relations Board has issued an unfair labor practices complaint against Sharon Regional Health System relating to a union organizing effort.
In the complaint filed last week, the NLRB alleges, among other things, Sharon Regional fired employees for their union activities and that a manager threatened to close a unit if workers organized with Service Employees International Union Local 627.
Last fall Local 627 began an organizing effort among various Sharon Regional workers. In February a basic unit of employees including non-professional, skilled maintenance and clerical staff workers rejected joining the union in a 360 to 183 vote.
The union sought to overturn that vote by filing a complaint with the NLRB but it was dismissed by the federal agency. However, since then Local 627 has continued an organizing campaign with Sharon Regional employees and has said it plans to seek a unionizing vote with an unnamed group of workers at the health care provider.
NLRB regulations require a union to wait at least a year after a rejected vote to apply to the federal agency for an organizing election of that particular employee unit. But the union can seek to organize other employee units of the same business at anytime.
After the February election Local 627 filed various unfair labor practice charges with the NLRB against Sharon Regional. After conducting an investigation the agency determined the non-profit business had violated certain NLRB rules and regulations, said Gerald Kobell, Pittsburgh regional director for the NLRB.
In its complaint, the NLRB said other Sharon Regional labor practice violations were:
The NLRB is seeking the reinstatement of the fired workers and that they and other eligible workers be given back pay with interest. A Jan. 8 hearing has been set before an NLRB administrative law judge to hear the case.
In a written statement Ed Newmeyer, director of marketing for Sharon Regional, said the hospital "is confident that no violations have occurred.''
He also noted after February's organizing vote was rejected by employees, SEIU filed six objections with the NLRB and that all were dismissed and the election results were certified final.
With about 1,700 employees, Sharon Regional is the largest employer in Mercer County.
The NLRB will seek to reach a settlement with Sharon Regional on the complaint, Kobell said.
"We will try to settle the case to resolve the issue without the cost and burden of litigation,'' he said. "We settle over 90 percent of our cases.''
But he left no doubt if it did go before a judge the agency was confident of a victory.
"A lot of people make allegations, but when we make them we can prove them,'' Kobell said.