Information About Union Representation

Information about Union Representation

BIDMC respects the rights of every one of our nurses to support, or to not support, union representation. However, we hope that you will make that decision after careful assessment of the facts. Unions run compelling campaigns. But campaign promises are rarely sure facts.

Our goal is to share fact-based information, and we encourage you to learn more on your own. Please see below for links to the information that Nurse Directors have shared directly with our colleagues about typical topics in a union organizing campaign.

Thank you for joining me in working directly together to ensure that BIDMC continues to be a place where we work together with trust and respect to provide excellent patient care.

Union Authorization Cards

A union authorization card or electronic form is a legally binding document. If you sign, you’re authorizing the union to speak for you. Make sure you know what you’re being asked to sign and why. You have a legal right to refuse to sign anything the union gives you.

Read more here [PDF]

Collective Bargaining

Collective bargaining sets the conditions of employment for employees who are represented by a union. Collective bargaining is a process, not a promise of a guaranteed outcome. Under a union contract, you could end up with the same, more, or less than you have now.

Read more here [PDF]

Union Promises

During an organizing campaign, a union can promise just about anything to get you to sign an authorization card. In fact, The National Labor Relations Board has ruled that it is legal for unions to use “misleading campaign propaganda” to win employee support. However, there is no guarantee that a union will be able to keep the promises it makes.

Read more here [PDF]

Dues

BIDMC nurses, including per diems, would likely pay MNA dues equal to 2x your hourly pay, and up to $89.62 per month. Based on current MNA dues rates, most BIDMC nurses would pay approximately $1,075 a year in dues to the MNA – earning the union about $3 million per year. Paying union dues provides no guarantee of improvements, but the union gets to keep all dues dollars, no matter what.

Read more here [PDF]