Dive Brief:
- The National Labor Relations Board has filed a complaint against two hospitals owned by Franklin, TN-based Community Health Systems.
- The NLRB filed a complaint against Valley Hospital in Spokane Valley, WA and Deaconess Hospital in Spokane, WA, based on charge filed by the Service Employees International Union 1199NW, according to an Inlander report cited by Becker's Hospital Review.
- The NLRB complaint alleges that hospital owner CHS discouraged union membership and retaliated against workers who went on a one-day strike in December.
Dive Insight:
The complaint by the NLRB, which gives CHS management until the first week of May to respond, proposes a hearing for September. In the meantime the SEIU, which has had other run-ins with CHS hospitals nationally, is considering its options. The SEIU branch involved in the NLR proceeding includes roughly 1,200 nurses, service, professional and technical workers at CHS.