December 30, 2003
NEWS RELEASE: California Hospitals File Lawsuit to Modify Interpretation of Nurse Staffing Regulations
The California Healthcare Association (CHA) today filed a lawsuit against the state Department of Health Services (DHS), alleging that DHS’ interpretation of new nurse staffing regulations, set to take effect on New Year’s Day, will result in virtually all hospitals being unable to comply.

December 22, 2003
Petition Filed to Represent St. John West Shore RNs
St. John West Shore hospital, Westlake, has received a petition filed by District 1199 with the Cleveland Regional Office of the National Labor Relations Board, seeking to represent the hospital's registered nurses. There are approximately 400 nurses in the unit being requested by District 1199.  A hearing on the union's petition was held Dec. 22. No election date has been set.

December 19, 2003
California Nurses Association, SEIU Announce Cooperation Agreement
AONE e-news
California's two largest healthcare unions, the California Nurses Association (CNA) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) have announced the establishment of a new cooperation agreement. One of the first priorities will be to jointly monitor implementation of the state's new staffing ratios for RNs and to oppose cuts in healthcare services. They also agreed to support each other's organizing campaigns, with SEIU supporting CNA campaigns to organize RNs and CNA supporting SEIU efforts to organize other types of nurses and healthcare workers.

December 19, 2003
Tenet, California Nurses Association Sign Labor Accord
AONE e-news
Tenet Healthcare Corporation announced Tuesday that it has signed a new labor agreement with the California Nurses Association (CNA). In the agreement, Tenet agreed to annual wage increases for RNs of up to 8% in the first year and 7% in each of the next two years, and to continue its benefit package. It also agreed to an expedited CNA election process during the first half of 2004 for non-union RNs at 22 non-union Tenet hospitals, as well as the creation of patient care committees at each organized hospital that will address safe staffing and patient advocacy issues. In exchange, CNA agreed to a no-strike provision and mandatory neutral arbitration for any disputes until January 1, 2010. The agreement takes effect immediately at the five Tenet hospitals whose nurses are currently represented by CNA and will apply to other Tenet hospitals that CNA organizes.

December 16, 2003
Mediator contacts striking Trinity nurses
Steubenville Herald-Star
STEUBENVILLE - Trinity Medical Center East nurses remain on the picket line today. The nurses are members of the Ohio Nurses Association Local 97 Union.
www.hsconnect.com/news/story/1216202003_new05news121603.asp

December 15, 2003
Trinity East nurses remain on strike
Steubenville Herald-Star
ONA Local 97 President Becky Salvino said Saturday she had nothing new to report regarding the strike, but added that a rally, which was held at 10 a.m. Friday at Trinity East, was a success.
www.hsconnect.com/news/story/1215202003_new02news121403.asp

December 12, 2003
16 nurses return to work
Steubenville Herald-Star
STEUBENVILLE - About 16 nurses have returned to work at Trinity Medical Center East after leaving Ohio Nurses Association Local 97 Union, Keith Murdock, Trinity Health System spokesman, said today.
www.hsconnect.com/news/story/1212202003_new06news121203.asp

December 11, 2003
12 Trinity nurses resign from union
Steubenville Herald-Star
STEUBENVILLE - As the strike at Trinity Medical Center East continues, 12 nurses resigned from the union Wednesday. Hospital officials assert the faculty is conducting business as usual.
www.hsconnect.com/news/story/1211202003_new06news121103.asp

December 10, 2003
Trinity Nurses Ready to Negotiate
Steubenville Herald-Star
STEUBENVILLE - Trinity Medical Center East nurses continued their strike today and said they are ready to negotiate.
www.hsconnect.com/news/story/1210202003_new05news121003.asp

December 1, 2003
Trinity Nurses Go On Strike
Steubenville Herald-Star
STEUBENVILLE - About 90 nurses at Trinity Medical Center East put down their stethoscopes and picked up picket signs today.
www.hsconnect.com/news/story/121202003_new02news120103.asp

September 19, 2003
OHA Participates in NLRB Cases
OHA has filed an amicus curiae brief with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in a series of cases interpreting the definition of "supervisor" under the National Labor Relations Act.

At issue is whether certain employees such as charge nurses exercise independent judgment in performing their jobs and therefore are classified as supervisors -- and ineligible to join labor unions. The NLRB's previous interpretation determining that charge nurses are not supervisors was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in NLRB v. Kentucky River, 532 U.S. 706 (2001). The NLRB invited interested parties to submit briefs to assist in the NLRB's analysis. OHA believes nurses and other health care professionals fill supervisory roles and exercise independent judgment in a variety of tasks critical to the health care delivery system. An ordinary reading of the "independent judgment" standard of the National Labor Relations Act supports the finding that charge nurses may be supervisors.

OHA joins fellow amici the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) in filing the brief, prepared by national labor law expert G. Roger King of the law firm Jones, Day.

June 17, 2003
ELCH 'gradually' getting back to business
East Liverpool Review
EAST LIVERPOOL - Ohio Nurses Association registered nurses are returning to work at East Liverpool City Hospital following a 14-day walkout.
www.reviewonline.com/news/story/06172003_new03elch17.asp

East Liverpool City Hospital Nurses' Strike Settled
The ONA on Sunday, June 1st, struck East Liverpool City Hospital. There are approximately 180 RNs in the bargaining unit at the Hospital. The three major issues in dispute between the parties included direct wages (ONA originally asked for double digit wage increases in each year of a proposed three-year agreement), health insurance issues and mandatory overtime. The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service assisted the parties in negotiations.

June 15, 2003
ELCH nurses back on the job after two-week walkout
East Liverpool Review
EAST LIVERPOOL - By a vote of 90 percent to 10 percent, registered nurses in the Ohio Nurses Association ratified a contract proposed by East Liverpool City Hospital, effectively ending a two-week strike - the longest R.N. work stoppage in ELCH history.
www.reviewonline.com/news/story/06152003_new00strike.asp

June 12, 2003
Hospital may operate with new team in nurses’ strike
Columbiana County Morning Journal
EAST LIVERPOOL - City Hospital has contracted services with U.S. Nursing Corp., an 18-year-old Denver company that provides temporary nurses to those hospitals nationwide that are on strike.
www.morningjournalnews.com/story.asp?ID=11212

June 11, 2003
Replacement nurses on the way
East Liverpool Review
EAST LIVERPOOL - Replacement registered nurses will begin work at East Liverpool City Hospital Saturday if talks set for Friday between ELCH and the Ohio Nurses Association fail to successfully conclude the 11-day strike.
www.reviewonline.com/news/story/06112003_new00strike11.asp

June 10, 2003
No new negotiations in nurses' strike
East Liverpool Review
Day nine of the East Liverpool City Hospital nurses strike passed without any new round of negotiations being scheduled. Since registered nurses in the Ohio Nurses Association began picketing June 1, ELCH and the ONA have met one time, for a four-hour session, which centered around the health insurance package offered by ELCH.
www.reviewonline.com/news/story/06102003_new05strike.asp

June 7, 2003
ELCH, nurses meet in four-hour session
East Liverpool Review
EAST LIVERPOOL - Talks between East Liverpool City Hospital and the Ohio Nurses Association broke off Friday afternoon, following a four-hour session wherein no resolution was reached.
www.reviewonline.com/news/story/0672003_new01nurses.asp

June 6, 2003
Stoppage taking toll on doctors, patients
East Liverpool Review
EAST LIVERPOOL - It's not just hospital employees that have felt the effects of the ongoing nurses strike. Area hospitals and local doctors have all felt the repercussions of City Hospital's work stoppage.
www.reviewonline.com/news/story/0662003_new01toll.asp

June 5, 2003
ELCH, ONA to meet Friday with mediator
East Liverpool Review
EAST LIVERPOOL - ELCH Communications Coordinator Tina Smith said Wednesday the hospital plans to attend a meeting Friday at 10 a.m. with the Ohio Nurses Association as requested by a federal mediator.
www.reviewonline.com/news/story/0652003_new00mediator.asp

June 2, 2003
Nurses picket at ELCH
East Liverpool Review
EAST LIVERPOOL - Registered Nurses in the Ohio Nurses Association and its affiliate, the East Liverpool Nurses Association, went on strike Sunday morning after negotiations between the ONA and East Liverpool City Hospital failed to produce a new contract.
www.reviewonline.com/news/story/0622003_new00nurse.asp

June 3, 2003
ONAs Newest Local Unit
On June 3rd the Registered Nurses of the Huron County General Health District voted to be represented in the workplace by ONA. With a vote of 80% in favor, the RNs formed ONAs newest Local Unit.

May 22, 2003
ELCH nurses issue strike vote notice
East Liverpool Review
EAST LIVERPOOL - Negotiations continue for the nurses at East Liverpool City Hospital with a strike vote notice being delivered to the hospital on Tuesday.
www.reviewonline.com/news/story/05222003_new00nurses.asp

April 29, 2003
Toledo Nurses Ratify AFSCME Contract
The Toledo District Nurses Association and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) reached agreement this week on a renewal collective bargaining agreement covering 8 clerks and home health aides. The two-year contract overhauls the prior vacation and sick leave system with a new earned time off policy, provides new health benefits, and provides for 3% lump-sum payments to be made to employees each year in lieu of general wage increases. Adjustments were also made to bereavement leave, the grievance procedure, and other policies in the agreement. The agreement was ratified on April 22 by a vote of 8 to 0.

April 11, 2003
Defiance Hospital and ONA Reach Agreement
Defiance Hospital, a member of the ProMedica Health System, and the Ohio Nurses Association reached agreement this week on a renewal collective bargaining agreement. The agreement covers approximately 90 nurses in the ONA's bargaining unit at the Hospital. The contract, with a two-year term, provides an immediate 3% across-the-board wage increase, another 2% across-the-board wage increase in October of this year and a 3-1/2 % across-the-board wage increase in April of 2004. In October of 2004, a new top step will be added to the Agreement, which will be 1-1/2% higher than the previous top step. The hospital's contribution to its pension plan for registered nurses also is increased by 1-1/2%. The health insurance plans, to which nurses contribute a portion of the premium cost, were consolidated into Paramount Managed Care Plans and adjustments were made in the area of bereavement pay, negotiation pay, on-call pay and PTO accrual for part-time nurses.

March 19, 2003
NLRB Has Complete, Official Board Again
After many months of vacancies, the National Labor Relations Board once again has a full complement of members. The Board is comprised of five members and serves as a quasi-judicial body in deciding labor cases in administrative proceedings. Board Members are appointed by the President to 5-year terms, with Senate consent, the term of one Member expiring each year. The current NLRB members are:

Chairman Robert J. Battista (R)
Wilma B. Liebman (D)
Dennis P. Walsh (D)
Peter C. Schaumber (R), and
R. Alexander Acosta (R).

The NLRB also has an independent General Counsel, Arthur F. Rosenfeld, appointed by the President to a 4-year term with Senate consent. The NLRB General Counsel investigates and prosecutes unfair labor practice cases and is responsible for the general supervision of the NLRB field offices in processing cases.

For more information about the NLRB, go to www.nlrb.gov.

January 17, 2003
Firelands Regional Medical Center
Employees of Firelands Regional Medical Center rejected representation of the United Auto Workers in an election that was completed January 17. By unit, the results were:

Technical Unit--205 no; 114 yes. Representation of the Union rejected.
RN Unit--231 no; 88 yes. Union representation rejected.
Business Office Clerical Unit--46 no; 19 yes, Union representation rejected.
Support Unit 227 no; 182 yes. Union representation rejected.
Maintenance Unit 11 no; 10 yes. Union representation rejected--two (2) challenges outstanding. The challenges are sufficient in number to affect the outcome of the election.

January 7, 2003
Firelands Regional Medical Center
The National Labor Relations Board has set January 16th and January 17th as the election dates for the five pending requests for representation that the UAW has filed to represent certain employees at Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky, Ohio. The five units being petitioned-for by the UAW include: registered nurses, technical employees, business office clerical employees, support services employees and maintenance employees. There were approximately 29 positions or issues in dispute between the Medical Center and the UAW as to voting eligibility status. The NLRB Regional Director in Cleveland ruled on the Medical Center's behalf on 15 of the issues and ruled on the Union's behalf on 14 of the issues. The Medical Center has filed a Request for Review with the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C. regarding certain supervisory rulings and employee unit placement rulings by the Regional Director. Such Request for Review may, or may not, postpone the January 16th and 17th vote. Link here to the UAW's press release: www.uaw.org/news/newsarticle.cfm?ArtId=164