10/27/2006

Hospital declares an end to strike

But union officials say it isn't over

BY BILL O'BRIEN

bobrien@record-eagle.com

PETOSKEY — Northern Michigan Hospital contends its 4-year-old nurses' strike is over. Not so fast, said an attorney for the striking nurses.

Hospital officials said Thursday afternoon that it was informed by the National Labor Relations Board that Teamsters Local 406 withdrew its election petition and the union's objections to the June 2, 2005, nurse representative election.

Hospital officials said the action leaves it without any pending issues before the NRLB, effectively ending the strike that dates to November 2002.

"This closes a chapter in our history," said NMH President and CEO Tom Mroczkowski in a statement, adding that the hospital is "pleased that the majority decision of our nurses against representation has been fully validated."

But Teamsters Local 406 attorney Ted Iorio disputed the hospital's contention that the withdrawal of the petition in essence ends the lengthy labor dispute. He said the union withdrew its petition because "the handwriting was on the wall" that NRLB officials had determined that striking nurses have been permanently replaced by replacement workers. The nurses can petition for another strike vote if they so choose, he said.

"To say that the strike is over, that's pure fantasy on their part," Iorio said. "They don't decide whether the strike is over or not."

The union also objected to the NRLB's decision to reschedule a hearing on the dispute this month, and said nurses who were prepared to testify were unable to change their schedules for another date. Iorio said striking nurses waited for over a year for the hearing and said another delay indicates the NLRB had "pre-determined" its decision against the union.

"Why would (the nurses) go to a hearing; they've already pre-judged this," he said. "This is a poster child for why the system has to change."