FAQs

No! Your vote is not controlled by any past promises, pledges, signatures or actions. You are free to vote any way you wish, no matter what someone may tell you. Even if you signed a card, or told someone you would vote for the union, you can still vote NO. The vote is by secret ballot. No one will know how you vote unless you tell them.

If the Union wins, you can expect they will insist on a “dues check-off clause” in the contract, which means that union dues will be automatically deducted from team members’ paychecks – just like taxes. The only exception to this is in states where there are “Right-to-Work” Laws, yet, in many of them there are still fees that need to be paid for being represented by the union. Even if you live in a “Right to Work” state and are not required to pay dues or fees, if the union is voted in, team members are still subject to the same contract terms and restrictions negotiated by the union.

If our St. Luke’s location becomes unionized, our hospital negotiators would be required to meet with the union and discuss proposals in good faith in an attempt to reach a contract agreement. But the law does not require St. Luke’s to agree to any union demands that it does not believe are in the best interests of the company or our team members. It is important to understand that the law does not set a deadline for reaching a contract and also does not require that a contract ever be reached.

If our negotiators can’t come to an agreement with the union, the union can either continue bargaining, give in on its demands, or go out on an economic strike to try to persuade the hospital to change its positions. Bargaining for a contract can be a very complicated, lengthy process; immediate changes to the workplace rarely happen.

It is our hope that we would not have a unionized workforce and never face the possibility of a strike. For companies that are involved in an economic strike, the striking team members:

• Would not get regular paychecks from the employer for as long as the strike lasts.
• May have to pay for all their insurance premium costs out of pocket (medical, disability, life, etc.).
• Can be permanently replaced as permitted by law.

If the Union wins the election, it will be speaking for all team members in the bargaining unit as a group, regardless of how an individual team member voted. When they can, unions usually also make it a priority to get a “union security” provision in a contract which forces all team members to pay dues/fees money to the union or lose his/her job. If there’s such a provision in the contract and you fail to pay the union, the union could demand you be fired. Unions usually also want a “dues check-off” provision in a contract, which means that dues are automatically deducted from team members’ paychecks. We think it’s fair to ask – If the union so badly wants union security and a check-off clauses, what is the union willing to sacrifice of yours in order to get these things? The answer could be everything you now enjoy. Remember, while team members may not have to officially join a union in a Right to Work state, if a union is voted in it speaks for and binds everyone to a contract, whether they like it or not.

No. You have the same right to express your opinions as the team members who support the union. At St. Luke’s we always hope our team members will speak up and have their voices heard. Even if you are not involved in the organizing activity, you are involved in the outcome. The results will impact you and your work life for a long time. Don’t be intimidated. Speak up. We hope all team members are respectful of their co-workers’ opinions, but it is important that your opinion is known to the extent you to want it to be. Even if it may seem as though you are alone at first, there likely will be others in the group who agree with you.

Yes. Union organizers can make promises and “guarantees” to team members during organizing drives, but they do not have the power to fulfill these promises or guarantees without the consent of the hospital during contract negotiations. St. Luke’s and its supervisors are prohibited by law from making promises and guarantees during union organizing drives, even though the union can. Think of union organizers like political candidates; they make many promises that voters want to hear in order to get elected all the while knowing that they may not be able to fulfill them once elected. If they win the election, they only have won the right to sit at a table and negotiate (ask) for things that they want. Remember, the law says the hospital can say no to any demand. Their promises don’t automatically become true once the election is over.

Yes. You have the right to speak out against the union if you do not want it to represent you. You have a right, today, to speak out against whatever you feel is unjust or will have a negative impact on you or your peers. If you feel that being forced into a union agreement is unjust, you have the right to act now. Just as those supporting unionization have the ability to advocate for it, you have the power to defend your right to continue to represent yourself. You have the same right to express your beliefs as those who support the union, and you should take advantage of them.

No. Sometimes union organizers will say “just try us” or imply you can vote the union in on a “trial basis.” That’s not accurate. Decertifying a union from a workplace is not easy. It is a lot harder to get rid of a union than it is to vote one in.

Team members would be required to stick with the new union for at least one year, or even as long as 4 years, depending upon whether a union contract is reached and how long the contract is for. A typical 3-year contract freezes team members into the union for at least those 3 years. It is important for team members to understand the longevity of a union and its contracts so that they do not vote the union in on a whim. The union organizer says that the union exists for the benefit of the team members and that it is wrong to oppose the union. While a union represents team members, it is not a charitable or benevolent organization. A union is a business. Union organizers are professional salespeople whose success depends on selling memberships. St. Luke’s team members are the union’s potential customers. A union’s primary income is derived from its members’ dues, fees, assessments and fines.

No. Union supporters will not be given favorable treatment over those who vote to keep the union out, and vice versa. If a union is voted in, wages and job assignments will be determined by a negotiated contract, if and when an agreement is reached. Often a union will give a Shop Steward role to its strongest supporters and demand in negotiations special privileges and benefits for the Shop Stewards.