Orlando Health Deploys Anti-Union Tactics Bringing Workers Closer Together

[Omaha Steve]

http://nhlabornews.com/2013/09/orlando-health-deploys-anti-union-tactics-bringing-workers-closer-together/

By Matt Murray | September 23, 2013



Nurses and Respiratory Therapists from Orlando Hospitals deliver petitions to Sherrie Sitarik. (Sarah Collins second from left, Sarah Lasher, third from left)

A couple of months ago Sherrie Sitarik the CEO of Orlando Health stated that hospital worker’s differentials would be cut in an effort to save on operating costs. In a recent interview on WFTV, Sitarik said the cut was to bring differentials more in line with other area hospitals. This is just a corporate excuse to push workers down.

The workers are not buying it. Sarah Lasher a nurse in one of Orlando Health’s hospitals is looking to organize the workers with National Nurses United. NNU is one of the unions that specialize in representing workers in the medical field. Sarah and NNU have quickly gained support from other workers at Orlando Health who are fed up with Sitarik’s race to the bottom.

As you would expect, Sitarik does not want workers to organize and form a union. Sitarik told WFTV, “I really don’t believe we need a third party getting involved in relationships that over many years have allowed us to have the success we’ve had.”

There are two things wrong with that statement.

A union is not a third party. It is workers speaking with one voice. The workers are the union, and the union speaks for the workers.
If the relationship is so good, why is Orlando Health slashing the take home pay of workers without any discussion with the employees? If the workers were truly happy and treated well they would not be forming a union.

FULL story at link.