NLRB Backs SEIU-UHW in Nation’s Largest Organizing DriveRandy Shawbyline‚ Aug. 13‚ 2008The National Labor Relations Board has charged St. Joseph’s Health System (SJHS) with multiple violations of federal law in its resistance to SEIU-UHW's efforts to organize over 9000 workers at the California-based hospital chain. The NLRB charges come on the heels of increasing national attention to the struggle, which pits the Mothers of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange--once strong allies of the United Farmworkers of America--against workers seeking to unionize and UFW alumni supporting their side. To date, the Sisters have insisted that they do not oppose unionization but simply want to guarantee workers a secret ballot election. But in December 2007 the NLRB found that SJHS committed several violations of federal labor law at a union election in one of its facilities, and the new charges appear to confirm SEIU’s claim that those managing the hospitals for the Sisters are engaged in persistent anti-union conduct. |