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Organizing Roundup
Nurses Choose CWA as Health Systems Expand
CWA’s health care sector has expanded dramatically — by more than 1,200 new members — with the recent affiliations of two independent nurses’ unions.
On Nov. 17, the New Jersey Nurses Union, of nearly 1,000 members, voted 359-45 to become a CWA affiliate. They will be chartered as CWA Local 1091. While the current membership of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses are employed at the St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J., the entire St. Barnabas system of nine hospitals, plus nursing homes, ambulatory care and rehabilitation centers throughout northern New Jersey represents a membership potential of more than 5,000.
On Nov. 5, the Kenmore Mercy Professional Coalition, representing 240 nurses at Kenmore Mercy Hospital near Buffalo, N.Y. voted 177-18 to affiliate with CWA. Retaining their own name, they will become a branch of CWA Local 1133.
“We look forward to working with both these groups to build our union,” said President Morton Bahr, welcoming the nurses. Bahr pointed out that the new units will play a major part in the continuing growth of CWA, and that their participation will strengthen CWA’s campaign for quality health care while continuing to benefit the patients and communities they serve.
“It’s fantastic that so many nurses are recognizing CWA as the union for health care professionals,” said Brooks Sunkett, CWA vice president for public and health care workers. “We are confident that we will provide them the finest available service and representation.”
Mutually Beneficial
“The New Jersey Nurses Union offers CWA a great opportunity to expand in the health care sector,” said CWA District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino, who was directly involved in the affiliation campaign. Mancino enthusiastically pledged to make staff and resources available to help the new local achieve its goal of organizing St. Barnabas Hospital’s new, non-union merger partners.
“We’re ecstatic,” said Karen May, New Jersey Nurses staff representative, “We’ve been looking for an affiliation for the last several years. Our council viewed CWA as the most democratic union, with the most potential to assist us in organizing, and that would allow us the most autonomy in that process.”
The New Jersey Nurses Union became an independent union in 1991 after decertifying from Hospital Workers 1199. In considering affiliation, May, Executive Director Sondra Clark, Co-Chair Nancy Edelmann and board members met several times with Bahr, Cohen, Mancino, and Sunkett, as well as District 1 Organizing Coordinator Ed Sabol, CWA Represent-atives Carol Gay and Ellen Gallant, Nurses United/CWA Local 1168 President Debora Hayes and CWA nurses. CWA officers and staff attended the Nurses membership meeting Oct. 21 and the Nurses sent representatives to a District 1 Health Care Workers Meeting in Boston, Nov. 8.
Their board voted in October, and both the Nurses and CWA sent mailings urging their membership to adopt the affiliation, said Gay.
Stability in Solidarity
The Kenmore Mercy Professional Coalition approached CWA this past summer, said District 1 Organizing Coordinator Jeff Lacher, in the face of a “virtual merger” of Catholic health care institutions in the Buffalo area.
Several hospitals and other institutions in the Catholic health care system have begun to share revenues but, as yet, not facilities, Lacher explained. Rumors abound of shifting departments, closings and layoffs.
Lacher praised the hard work of Coalition President Lorraine Fagan and officers, who share the perception of Local 1133 President Barbara Bauch and others who worked to bring about the affiliation.
“Given the unstable shape of the whole system, we feel we’re going to be better off if we all get together,” he said. “Those who are most likely to be affected are the non-union technical workers. We’d like to organize them, too.”
“We’re very happy with the affiliation,” said Mary Ellen Heimbueger, Local 1133 vice president and organizer. “It’s been a long time coming.”
She explained that the Coalition existed before 1991, when Local 1133 was chartered. “We’ve kept in touch.”
Heimbueger said the leaders of the two unions “built a wonderful committee, representative of the workplace” that convinced colleagues the affiliation was the right move.
CWA’s health care sector has expanded dramatically — by more than 1,200 new members — with the recent affiliations of two independent nurses’ unions.
On Nov. 17, the New Jersey Nurses Union, of nearly 1,000 members, voted 359-45 to become a CWA affiliate. They will be chartered as CWA Local 1091. While the current membership of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses are employed at the St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J., the entire St. Barnabas system of nine hospitals, plus nursing homes, ambulatory care and rehabilitation centers throughout northern New Jersey represents a membership potential of more than 5,000.
On Nov. 5, the Kenmore Mercy Professional Coalition, representing 240 nurses at Kenmore Mercy Hospital near Buffalo, N.Y. voted 177-18 to affiliate with CWA. Retaining their own name, they will become a branch of CWA Local 1133.
“We look forward to working with both these groups to build our union,” said President Morton Bahr, welcoming the nurses. Bahr pointed out that the new units will play a major part in the continuing growth of CWA, and that their participation will strengthen CWA’s campaign for quality health care while continuing to benefit the patients and communities they serve.
“It’s fantastic that so many nurses are recognizing CWA as the union for health care professionals,” said Brooks Sunkett, CWA vice president for public and health care workers. “We are confident that we will provide them the finest available service and representation.”
Mutually Beneficial
“The New Jersey Nurses Union offers CWA a great opportunity to expand in the health care sector,” said CWA District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino, who was directly involved in the affiliation campaign. Mancino enthusiastically pledged to make staff and resources available to help the new local achieve its goal of organizing St. Barnabas Hospital’s new, non-union merger partners.
“We’re ecstatic,” said Karen May, New Jersey Nurses staff representative, “We’ve been looking for an affiliation for the last several years. Our council viewed CWA as the most democratic union, with the most potential to assist us in organizing, and that would allow us the most autonomy in that process.”
The New Jersey Nurses Union became an independent union in 1991 after decertifying from Hospital Workers 1199. In considering affiliation, May, Executive Director Sondra Clark, Co-Chair Nancy Edelmann and board members met several times with Bahr, Cohen, Mancino, and Sunkett, as well as District 1 Organizing Coordinator Ed Sabol, CWA Represent-atives Carol Gay and Ellen Gallant, Nurses United/CWA Local 1168 President Debora Hayes and CWA nurses. CWA officers and staff attended the Nurses membership meeting Oct. 21 and the Nurses sent representatives to a District 1 Health Care Workers Meeting in Boston, Nov. 8.
Their board voted in October, and both the Nurses and CWA sent mailings urging their membership to adopt the affiliation, said Gay.
Stability in Solidarity
The Kenmore Mercy Professional Coalition approached CWA this past summer, said District 1 Organizing Coordinator Jeff Lacher, in the face of a “virtual merger” of Catholic health care institutions in the Buffalo area.
Several hospitals and other institutions in the Catholic health care system have begun to share revenues but, as yet, not facilities, Lacher explained. Rumors abound of shifting departments, closings and layoffs.
Lacher praised the hard work of Coalition President Lorraine Fagan and officers, who share the perception of Local 1133 President Barbara Bauch and others who worked to bring about the affiliation.
“Given the unstable shape of the whole system, we feel we’re going to be better off if we all get together,” he said. “Those who are most likely to be affected are the non-union technical workers. We’d like to organize them, too.”
“We’re very happy with the affiliation,” said Mary Ellen Heimbueger, Local 1133 vice president and organizer. “It’s been a long time coming.”
She explained that the Coalition existed before 1991, when Local 1133 was chartered. “We’ve kept in touch.”
Heimbueger said the leaders of the two unions “built a wonderful committee, representative of the workplace” that convinced colleagues the affiliation was the right move.