NLRB gives huge victory to Kaiser workers in Southern California

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/stories/2009/11/30/daily23.html

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Los Angeles Business from bizjournals - by Kathy Robertson of the Sacramento Business Journal

A regional National Labor Relations Board ruled Monday that more than 2,300 Kaiser workers in Southern California can vote on whether they want to be represented by Service Employees International Union, a rival formed early this year — or neither of them.

The ruling in Region 21, which includes numerous Kaiser facilities in Los Angeles and San Diego, is a major coup for the National Union of Healthcare Workers. Formed in January after the international assumed trusteeship of SEIU local United Healthcare Workers West (UHW) amidst a political fight and charges of illegal activity, the new union angled for elections at Kaiser and other major health systems for 10 months.

Efforts to call for Kaiser elections in Northern California were nixed by the NLRB regional office in Oakland in April because an existing contract remains in place. The decision was affirmed by the national headquarters in Washington, D.C., in June.

The contract language in Southern California is different, leaving an opening for elections, regional director James Small ruled Monday. The decision affects 2,302 workers in three bargaining units, NLRB documents show.

Petitions requesting elections in the region were filed by NUHW in February. Unfair labor practice complaints filed by UHW stalled resolution but were rejected by the decision Monday.

The ruling states NUHW is, indeed, a viable union and there is no contract to bar an election in Southern California. Small directed Kaiser to provide a list of eligible voters on or before Tuesday.

FULL story at link.