Mt. Sinai nurses soundly reject the C.N.A./N.N.O.C unionization attempt

For those who may not have heard the news, and don’t be surprised if you haven’t since the California Nurses Association (C.N.A.) is not likely to advertise their loss of the certification vote at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Chicago. Why, because when you loss by a vote of 152 in favor and 293 opposed (that’s a 141 vote difference) and only 11 challenges you don’t go issuing any press releases!

Many of nurses, both non-union and union, have been following the machinations of the C.N.A. and their national organizing arm N.N.O.C. Nurses have watched as the C.N.A. was accused of raiding another nursing union, the take over of the Hawaii Nursing Association and the attempt to undermine the Louisiana Nursing Association during their Hurricane Katrina Recovery period and wondered when nurses would say enough. It looks as though this may have just occurred in Chicago with the Mt. Sinai nurses overwhelmingly voting to remain free to speak with their own voices.

All too often nurses become so “war weary” of the join a union/don’t join a union pushme pullme circus that when the certification election is held more stay home failing to cast their vote, leaving the margin of victory for either side so slim that which ever side looses can easily launch a challenge. Not so in the case of Mt. Sinai Hospital with only 11 challenges and a 141 vote difference the victory in this matters lies clearly with nurses choosing to exercise their “advocacy muscles” for themselves and their cohorts.

You can read the official announcement here.