Nurses at 3 Des Moines hospitals may unionize
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Nurses at Des Moines' Methodist, Blank and Lutheran hospitals are being asked to join an effort that could lead to an employee union, two organizers of the effort tell Axios.
Why it matters: The employees are seeking better pay and working conditions, which they contend will lead to better patient care by retaining qualified and experienced employees.
Zoom in: Working conditions for nurses at these hospitals have deteriorated in the last three to five years due to decisions made by senior leadership, Alison Zepp and Andie Grossman, nurses at Methodist downtown, tell Axios.
- For example, they said, a recent change in the calculation of shift differential pay resulted in some nurses making thousands of dollars less a year and contributed to the desire among some employees to organize.
State of play: Their group is trying to persuade at least 30% of the roughly 1,600 acute care nurses at the hospitals — which includes Methodist's downtown and West Des Moines locations — to submit cards of interest to the National Labor Relations Board.
- If they gain that support, the group can petition for a union election to join Teamsters Local 90.
- Ultimately, a majority vote among all affected employees would be needed to join successfully.
What they're saying: A nurse's strike is not part of the plan or something the group wants to do, Zepp said.
- "I'm committed to this hospital. It's the only place I've ever worked and I love what I do," she said.
The other side: UnityPoint honors the right of nurses to decide if they want union representation, according to a statement provided to Axios.
Yes, but: The statement also said the network functions best when it works directly with nurses.
The big picture: Other Midwest nurses have recently taken similar steps, including in Michigan, where a vote earlier this month allowed nearly 10,000 to join the Teamsters.
- The moves come as doctors and nurses are leaving their field and hospitals are sounding the alarm about workforce shortages.
What's next: Union organizers are holding a press conference at 3pm Tuesday at Methodist downtown's main entrance.
- They also ask the public to sign an online petition supporting their efforts.