Trinity Health ordered to stop retaliating against Grand Haven hospital union workers
The National Labor Relations Board has set a March 19 hearing for Trinity Health Grand Haven Hospital, alleging that hospital leaders threatened, coerced and intimidated union-represented workers and failed to bargain in good faith.
"By its overall conduct ... (Trinity) has failed and refused to bargain in good faith," Elizabeth Kerwin, director of the NLRB's Region 7, wrote in an order issued Jan. 29. The upcoming hearing will be before an administrative law judge in Grand Rapids.
She ordered the health system to begin a collective bargaining schedule of at least 40 hours per month, with at least eight hours per session, until a complete agreement is reached with the Service Employees International Union or the two sides come to a good-faith impasse in negotiations.
She also wrote that the hospital administration must:
Recognize the SEIU bargaining unit "as the exclusive collective-bargaining representative of the Certified Unit with respect to wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment."
No longer restrain, coerce or interfere with workers conducting union activity and to stop "discriminating against employees in retaliation" for such activity.
Restore lost wages, including back pay, to union workers who didn’t get raises awarded to unrepresented employees.
Rescind disciplinary actions, attendance points, leave assessments and other adverse actions against each affected employee of the union.
The SEIU's bargaining unit at the Grand Haven hospital includes 189 diagnostic imaging techs, lab assistants and technologists, housekeepers, dietary workers, social workers, unit clerks, patient care associates, medics and others who allege Trinity engaged in union-busting activity.
Trinity must respond to the NLRB and the SEIU bargaining unit by Feb. 13.
Tense labor relations since Trinity acquired hospital
Previously known as North Ottawa Community Health System, the Grand Haven hospital was acquired in October 2022 by the Catholic nonprofit Trinity Health Michigan, becoming the Livonia-based health system's ninth hospital in the state. The same month, workers affiliated as the SEIU bargaining unit.
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“We are excited to see the board decide in our favor by protecting our rights as workers," Ricky Kauffman, lead radiographer at Trinity Grand Haven Hospital, said in a statement. "Trinity won’t succeed in intimidating or bullying us. We are winning and will continue to stand up and fight for our rights."
Negotiations with the union have been contentious from the start, and led to a one-day strike in August. In September, Trinity Health Grand Haven withdrew recognition of the bargaining unit, alleging the majority of workers didn't support the union.
The NLRB, however, affirmed in December that SEIU Healthcare Michigan is properly certified as the union representing workers at the Grand Haven hospital.
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Trinity Health Michigan issued the following statement to the Free Press: "We have done everything lawfully and in keeping with the wishes of our colleagues who have chosen to no longer be part of this union. The majority have clearly stated they no longer wish to be represented by the SEIU. We hope they will respect our employees' choices. In the meantime, we look forward to defending ourselves against the SEIU's untrue allegations."
Contact Kristen Shamus: kshamus@freepress.com. Subscribe to the Free Press.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: NLRB: Trinity Health Grand Haven Hospital union workers faced threats
