Only a week after the National Labor Relations Board issued a ruling broadening the definition of the term "supervisor," the decision has already thrown a wrench into contract talks between a Pennsylvania hospital and its nurses. The NLRB decision held that health care institutions can classify nurses as supervisors, denying them the right to union representation, if their duties include directing others. Nurses and execs at Pittsburgh's Allegheny General Hospital have been in talks for some time regarding several contentious issues, including an end to mandatory overtime, higher wages and revised nurse-to-patient ratios. In response to the new NLRB ruling, hospital officials told nurses that they reserved the right to classify charge nurses as supervisors, a move which could affect half of the hospital's 1,200 nurses. Service Employees International Union Local 1199P, which represents nurses at Allegheny, objected vigorously to the hospital's position, bringing discussions to a standstill. The nurses' current contract expires October 13th.
Find out more about the Allegheny General situation:
- read this article from the Pittsburgh Business Times