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Welcome, St. Mary’s Hospital Nurses

At MedStar Health, everything we do is grounded in one simple, but important, principle: how we treat people. That starts with taking care of our team, who make it possible for us to deliver on our mission, every day. We’re proud of our collaborative culture and believe the best way to foster teamwork and inspire growth is by continuing to work together, side-by-side as one team.

We also value open, honest communication, and we’re committed to ensuring you have support and resources when it comes to major decisions that could affect you and your family. That’s why we created this space: to provide easy access to the information you need, including answers to your questions about unions and working in a unionized environment.

This website is one of many resources available to you. We strongly encourage you to talk with each other, ask questions, and seek information from a variety of sources, so you can feel confident that you’re making the right decision for yourself.

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Your Rights, Your Decision

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to deciding whether or not you wish to be unionized. It’s a big decision, and one that’s yours alone to make. MedStar Health respects everyone’s right to choose what’s best for them when it comes to unionization. Whether or not you support the union has no impact on your employment here.

Making an informed decision starts with understanding your legal rights when it comes to engaging—or not engaging—with the union. Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), you have the right to:

  • Sign, or not sign, a union authorization card or petition
  • Participate in, or refuse to participate in, union activity
  • Campaign for, or against, the union

If you believe your rights have been violated, you can reach out to Human Resources. You may also contact the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB):

NLRB Regional Office – Baltimore
Bank of America Center, Tower II
100 S Charles Street
6th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-962-2822 | Fax: 410-962-2198

Facts About Union Organizing

A union campaign is an effort by the union to try to convince associates to allow the union to represent them in collective bargaining. The goal is to get associates to sign authorization cards so the union can file a petition for election with the National Labor Relations Board. During an organizing campaign, union organizers may approach associates before or after work to distribute material and/or collect contact information so they can then call, email, set up virtual meetings or visit associates at homes to discuss unionizing.

Most unions employ organizers who are trained and responsible for soliciting support from associates. These individuals are paid by the union to get associates to sign cards and join the union. The union organizer typically uses pro-union associates to convince their peers to sign an authorization card or petition and support the union. These associates, sometimes called “internal organizers,” also may be paid by the union and promised status as union delegates or stewards if the union campaign is successful.

The National Labor Relations Act preserves your right to support or not support a union. You do not have to speak with an organizer if you don’t want to. The law gives you the right to oppose or support a union and to talk about your position with your co-workers. The decision is yours.
It’s not that easy. Once the union is voted in, it is in place for a one-year minimum even without a contract. After the first year, or after the expiration of the first contract (or three years, whichever is sooner), if associates wanted to get the union out, they would have to gather enough signatures to file a decertification petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Associates would be responsible for initiating and organizing this effort on their own and, according to the law, MedStar Health could not assist.
If a union wins representation of a group of associates, it represents everyone in that bargaining unit, whether you chose to be a member of the union or not. By law, no one can be required to join the union, but you can be required to pay for union representation in order to retain your job, whether you join the union or not. In almost all union contracts in Maryland and the District of Columbia, there is a clause that requires all represented employees to pay the union as a condition of employment (either dues or an agency fee). If an associate does not pay, the union could require the company to terminate that associate’s employment. This clause is referred to as a Union Security Clause because it ensures that the union will get paid, giving them “financial” security.
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