Question

Discussion:

Reflect on your own personal experiences, research, and understanding of unionization in health care.

1. What does unionization look like in health care?

2. What are the positive aspects of employee relations in a union versus a non-union?

3. What are benefits and drawbacks of having a union?

4. What is the future of unions in health care?

5. What is the role of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)?

Answer 1

Unionization in health care:

• The relationship between unions, employers and employees in healthcare raises wide range of ethical issues at the levels of policy, strategy and practice.
• From initial employee organization, union elections, contractual negotiations, and interactions over the life of the contrast, to strikes, lockout and union decertification acactivities, all have an ethical dimensions.

. Positive aspects of employee relations in a union versus non union:

• Gives strength in numbers being a union member with membership
• All workers benefit from unions, because unions set pay standards and workplace protections.
• Union members benefit most from the unions collective bargaining power to negotiate with employers on their behalf.

Benefits of having an union:

• Collective bargaining
• Higher wages
• Support
• Equality and fairness
• Job security
• Stronger economy
• Health and safety

Drawbacks of having an union:

• Initiation fees
• Loss of freedom
• Worker against worker
• Workers against bosses
• Legal requirements by paying portion of union dues.
• Impacts productivity

Future of union in health care:

Labour unions will continue to play a major role in hospital employee relations in states.