Seattle Press on Line - Union Election Set at Northwest Hospital

Union Election Set at Northwest Hospital

Dec 13, 2000 -- Northwest Hospital employees will get to vote on whether they want a union on January 4-5, 2001, in a representation election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board. The NLRB ordered that employees be grouped into three bargaining units: service, technical and professional workers.

On November 21 a committee of more than 40 workers told the hospital they wanted to be represented by District 1199 NW, and asked their employer not to conduct a potentially divisive anti-union campaign.

At that time, John Kim, a Northwest Hospital vice-president, told employees, "We believe very much in the right of our employees to choose whether they want to be in a union or not." However, Kim was fired last week and the hospital has started training supervisors to discourage workers from supporting the union.

Hospital spokesperson Nick Krivopovich said Kim's firing was "totally unrelated" to the union campaign, but was the result of long-planned streamlining.

Krivopovich said, "We want to make sure our employees are able to make an informed decision. We want to give them all the information we can to help them make that decision."

Among other changes, workers want pay scales raised for the lowest-paid workers, as a way to improve patient care by reducing job turnover.

Union organizer Curt Williams said, "We're very hopeful. The workers didn't sign those petitions just to have an election. They're building a union here."

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