FAQs

A union is a membership organization that represents employees in the workplace. A union is a business, but instead of making money by working hard to take care of their patients, they get their money by taking dues out of your paycheck. And while a union can promise anything— including better pay, benefits and job security — there are no guarantees. As a result of negotiations, you and your family could end up with more, the same or less than what you currently have at Swedish Medical Group.

Northwest Medicine United is part of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), AFL-CIO. Northwest Medicine United’s office is located in Springfield, Oregon. Northwest Medicine United takes an activist, sometimes adversarial, approach to union representation. Northwest Medicine United’s tactics include: negative media campaigns against hospitals and their leaders, strikes, pickets and protests, billboards, ads and social media campaigns critical of the care provided at targeted hospitals.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is a U.S. federal agency that enforces the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), protecting employees’ rights to organize, collectively bargain and participate in other mutual aid or protection activities without interference from employers or unions. The NLRB investigates unfair labor practices, conducts union elections and resolves labor disputes to promote a peaceful resolution of issues in private sector workplaces that affect interstate commerce.

With a union, things such as pay, work schedules, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment must be negotiated through collective bargaining between a union and an employer. Collective bargaining is a complex, time consuming process that, on average, takes over a year to complete.

By law, they are allowed to contact you, and likely will. We respect your right to privacy, but because Northwest Medicine United filed a petition with the NLRB, we were required by law to provide to it a list of all eligible voters and your personal contact information, including your cell phone, home phone, home address and personal email address. Under any other circumstances we would not share your personal information with an outside group.

Northwest Medicine United organizers and other non-employee representatives of any outside organization are prohibited from soliciting or distributing literature on Swedish Medical Group property. Therefore, union representatives are not allowed to hand out flyers to patients, visitors or caregivers in the parking lot.

Union representatives are permitted in any area on our campus that is otherwise open to the public. However, Northwest Medicine United representatives are not permitted in patient care areas or other work areas where access is restricted to Swedish Medical Group caregivers. Employees should be aware that Northwest Medicine United frequently seeks publicity or support for its campaigns, and may reach out to patients and visitors, politicians and members of the community. If a patient or visitor asks about the union campaign and you are uncomfortable having that conversation, you should refer them to your core leader.

There is no evidence that a union representing hospitalists brings any measurable positive impact on patient care. There is some debate over the impact of union contracts that limit individual hospitalist autonomy, undermine initiative and favor rigid scheduling and staffing over flexible, responsive patient care models. Hospitalist may want to consider the potential negative impact of joining a union with a long history of holding strikes and waging public protests and negative campaigns against hospitals, and how that could undermine clinical collaboration and our reputation in the community.

Yes, but that process will take at least a year and likely much longer. After one year, if there is no contract in place, members of the bargaining unit can petition the NLRB to conduct an election to potentially remove, or decertify, the union. But if Swedish Medical Group and the union reach a contract agreement during the first year, or thereafter, you are committed to staying with the union for the duration of that initial contract. Most first contracts last 2-4 years. Additionally, Swedish Medical Group is prohibited by law to provide any assistance to employees in removing the union.

No one can predict the outcome of negotiations, including the extent to which outsourcing might be addressed. If you are disciplined or fired for some reason you think is unfair, you can ask the union to file a complaint, or grievance, on your behalf. That does not guarantee you will get your job back or that the discipline will be reversed. It only guarantees a process — called a grievance procedure — and possibly arbitration that would decide whether you can be returned to work or have the discipline removed from your record.

Collective bargaining is a negotiation between a union and an employer to decide things like pay, work schedules, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment. There are no guaranteed outcomes or results in collective bargaining. The union may make promises or comparisons to other hospitals to get your vote, but there are NO GUARANTEES when it comes to what matters most to you and your family, such as:

• Pay
• Benefits
• Shift
• Flexibility
• Other workplace adjustments

As a result of negotiations, you could end up with more, the same or less than what you currently have here at Swedish Medical Group. Swedish Medical Group is not required to agree to any specific proposals from the union, and that means the union can’t make any guarantees. Collective bargaining is a complex process that is time intensive. On average, it takes more than a year to get to a first contract.

While a union can promise anything – including better pay, benefits and job security – there are no guarantees. As a result of negotiations, you and your family could end up with more, the same or less than what you currently have.

Your dues would triple NWMU’s revenue

^*Dues estimates are based on full-time employment with the average base salary and NWMU’s dues rates and per capita amounts. Article IX, Section 1. Part-time and per diem hospitalists would be required to pay dues.

There are no guarantees when it comes to union representation. Meanwhile, the union can use your money to support issues that have nothing to do with representing you in the workplace.

Many union elections are determined by a handful of votes. If you don’t vote, you’re giving others the power to make decisions about your pay, your life, your workplace.

Under federal law, elections are decided by a majority of the votes cast — not the majority of caregivers who work at Providence Swedish. For example, if 100 hospitalists work at Providence Swedish, but only 10 vote in the election, and 6 vote for the union, then all 100 hospitalists would be union-represented. So that means other hospitalists — maybe only a few — would make a choice for you and speak for you. That’s why it’s so important that everyone votes.

No. Your vote is private. The union and Swedish Medical Group will never know who you voted for unless you choose to tell them. This means you can still vote NO, even if you told someone you were in favor of the union.

Yes, you can and should. Signing an authorization card or form does not impact how you vote. You are legally and morally free to vote NO.

If the union wins the election, every eligible hospitalist will be represented by the union, even if you didn’t vote, even if you voted against it and even if you don’t like the way the union operates.

The outcome of the election impacts everyone, so it is very important that everyone votes.

No one can predict the future, but unions have the right to strike during negotiations. During a strike, striking workers receive no pay from their employer. And some unions can even fine you for not participating in the strike or crossing a picket line to go to work.