LAT: New union wins bid to represent healthcare workers at USC University Hospital

[Omaha Steve]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/05/new-union-wins-bid-to-represent-healthcare-workers-at-usc-university-hospital.html

New union wins bid to represent healthcare workers at USC University Hospital
May 28, 2010 | 4:23 pm

A new union battling the giant Service Employees International Union for the loyalty of healthcare workers throughout California has won a fiercely fought election at USC University Hospital in Los Angeles.

In two days of voting this week, the National Union of Healthcare Workers triumphed in its bid to represent more than 600 technicians, respiratory therapists and other employees at the USC-owned hospital, said the National Labor Relations Board, which oversaw the balloting.

The vote was 393 for the National Union of Healthcare Workers to 122 for no union, the only other option, said James Small, a regional labor board director in Los Angeles.

A smaller hospital unit of 83 pharmacists, social workers and others opted by a four-vote margin for the no-union option, the board said.

The two sides now have a week to file objections to the election before results are officially certified. The National Union of Healthcare Workers said it plans to challenge the loss in the smaller unit.

In earlier balloting, a group of 55 food service workers at the hospital had already voted to affiliate with the National Union of Healthcare Workers.

FULL story at link.

[David__77]

1. Bit by bit, new labor movement arises.

Unfortunately, the US as an industrial center is going to be no more. So the workers movement must continue to change its center of gravity and be very disciplined in confronting the anti-union tactics deployed in many sectors.