From WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com …
— Workers at Rogers Behavioral Health sites in Madison and West Allis have voted to join the National Union of Healthcare Workers, which alleges the employer attempted to interfere in yesterday’s election process.
The NUHW today announced workers voted 53-4 in West Allis and 26-4 in Madison in favor of unionizing, saying they’re now “ready to negotiate contracts that would provide better pay, protections to ensure safe staffing levels and more time to care for individual patients.”
In a statement on the results, a spokesperson for Rogers Behavioral Health acknowledged the vote for unionization and said “we are evaluating our next steps” following yesterday’s elections.
“We are committed to our patients, our people, and the integrated care that has made Rogers a trusted provider across Wisconsin since 1907,” the spokesperson said in an email.
While the union is touting the successful unionization push, it also says Rogers tried to “stop the election” in West Allis by barring an NUHW representative from entering the facility and suspending a worker who had agreed to act as an observer.
NUHW says the lack of a union representative at the proceedings could have resulted in delays to counting the ballots, but noted a second worker acted as its observer “over the objections” of the company.
“Rogers took a wrong turn here in Wisconsin, but it’s not too late for the company to reverse course and work with us to improve conditions for everyone,” said Erin Quinlan, a behavioral health specialist at the Madison clinic.
In response to the union’s claims, the Rogers spokesperson said the company is “committed to the integrity of the election process,” noting every ballot was counted.
“During the election at West Allis, Rogers staff became aware that individuals who are no longer employed by Rogers had illegally entered the facility and accessed patient areas,” the spokesperson said. “Given our obligations to patient safety and facility security, Rogers took steps to address the situation, including contacting local authorities.”
Following the incident, the company says it’s reviewing the circumstances and “will pursue any appropriate remedies.”
Meanwhile, NUHW President Sophia Mendoza claims Rogers has “violated the trust of its employees” and wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars on “union-busting” lawyers.
“But it can still set things right,” she said in a statement. “We’ve had good faith negotiations with Rogers in California that have improved patient care standards, and we remain ready to work together to make similar improvements in Wisconsin.”
The votes come after National Labor Relations Board Regional Director Jennifer Hadsall recently shot down the employer’s arguement that its 13 locations in the state should be treated as a single bargaining unit.
See the union’s release below.
— Rep. Jodi Emerson said she was hopeful that electoral shifts could make viable legislation improving access to fertility treatments like in-vitro fertilization.
“We’ve seen a couple election cycles of people standing up and telling their elected officials, ‘we’re in charge of our bodies, not the government,’” Emerson, D-Eau Claire, said yesterday on a press call. “I see an opportunity for us to make some big changes in Wisconsin and that excites me.”
Emerson and Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, introduced a bill in October that would have required insurers to cover fertility treatment in Wisconsin. The bill did not receive a committee hearing.
The lawmakers also introduced legislation in March, after the Assembly adjourned, requiring insurance coverage for fertility treatment and establishing a statutory right to fertility treatments.
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