Facts Matter. You Matter. – Message #3

FICTION: SEIU-UHW claims that Sharp wants to “divide” the union and (the union) “won’t let Sharp break the law” as they continue to demand that Sharp recognize each separate bargaining unit organized by the union as one combined unit.

FACT: Sharp HealthCare is indeed abiding by the law. The union continues to insist on combining the bargaining units that SEIU itself chose to organize at Sharp Grossmont, Sharp HospiceCare and Sharp Chula Vista, separately and at different points in time. The law is clear that when separate filings are made for bargaining units, each bargaining unit is distinct and will have its own contract. The law is also clear that combining units is not a mandatory subject of bargaining, and we have informed the union since early last year Sharp will not bargain with the union for a combined agreement.

We respect our employees’ rights to organize, but if the union’s desire was to have one unit representing workers across Sharp entities, similar to when UNAC organized to represent our hospital-based nurses, they had the opportunity to do so when they first initiated organizing activities. Instead, they deployed an entity-by-entity strategy and now insist that Sharp meet their unreasonable demands. We believe that the union should honor the commitment it made to each bargaining unit that it chose to represent and bargain in good faith for contracts for each unit, rather than falsely claim Sharp is trying to “divide” the units.

To find a path forward on this issue, Sharp proposed that a mediator, which was assigned to the parties by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), be invited to negotiations. Instead of considering whether the mediator might assist the parties to find resolution, the union filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) complaint against Sharp.

Facts matter. You matter.

Get all the facts about collective bargaining and unionization at sharpstayinformed.