UnityPoint nurses union vote rescheduled for Dec. 7–9

Catch up quick: Nurses began organizing more than a year ago.

• After gathering signatures from more than 30% of the roughly 2,000 eligible workers, they successfully petitioned the National Labor Relations Board, which oversees the election process, to hold an election.

What they're saying: Union advocates have cited concerns about staffing levels, pay, burnout and patient safety and say collective bargaining would give them a stronger voice.

• "While the delay in our election caused by the government shutdown was disappointing, we remain strong in our resolve," Alex Wilken, a nurse at Methodist said in a statement to Axios yesterday.

The other side: UnityPoint argues it already offers competitive pay and benefits and says a union could slow communication and decision-making between nurses and hospital leadership.

The intrigue: LaborLab, a nonprofit watchdog group, estimated in September — before the vote was delayed — that UnityPoint spent between $3.7 million and $6.1 million to quash the unionization effort.

What's next: Results are expected Dec. 10, the day after the workers' vote concludes.