With North General Hospital's recent bankruptcy announcement, the fate of some 60 former clinic employees who are part of the 1199 SEIU union has been up in the air.

The employees' union filed unfair charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), DOTmed News reported, claiming it was a violation of federal law not to hire former hospital employees because of their union affiliation, said union spokeswoman Leah Gonzalez.

On July 9 the 900-odd 1199 members, former hospital and clinic employees, picketed outside the hospital location, which is now managed by the Institute for Family Health. The union is "outraged" that IFH is telling former employees they must join the OPEIU Local 153 union in order to be rehired.
"We are outraged at what the Institute for Family Health is trying to do to our members," said George Gresham, the union's president, in a statement e-mailed to DOTmed News. "What Dr. Calman [president and CEO of IFH] is asking them to do is not only illegal but shameful, and we will not tolerate it."

But according to the contract between IFH and OPEIU Local 153, the institute must recognize 153 in all of its eight centers, said Richard Lanigan, secretary of treasury for the 153 group.

"The contract says that every time [IFH] opens a new center, they give us recognition," he told DOTmed News. "That provision is widely, commonly accepted," when it comes to union contracts.

"1199 is painting the image that a violation is going on, but the reality is we have a contract," said Lanigan. "They've had a copy of our contract for months, and they know about the [OPEIU Local 153 recognition] clause. They haven't called me."

However, if the NLRB finds that a violation occurred, it will take measures to right the situation, he said.

Several local and state officials expressed their concern regarding the clash between the two unions and IFH.

"It is a betrayal to the community and to those who have consistently kept the faith if they are not included in this promise of a new day for North General Hospital," said state Sen. Bill Perkins in a statement. "We cannot tolerate union busting, and it is an act of bad faith not to rehire workers from 1199 in the reorganization of North General Hospital."

"The new clinic at North General Hospital is starting off on the wrong foot with its workers and the larger community," said Melissa Mark-Viverito, council member, in a statement. "It is simply unacceptable that the clinic is engaging in unfair workplace practices and has hired so few of the former unionized hospital staff."

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