National Nurses United

5 Why do hospitals hire anti-union consultants (a.k.a. union busters)? In every CNA/NNU election campaign, nurses ask the question: "Why is our administration so opposed to RNs organizing?" No employer, including yours, wants to be required to sit across a bargaining table from an elected committee of RNs to negotiate a legally-binding contract. They don't want to lose the power they now have to change policies and benefits at a moment's notice. They are threatened by the idea of nurses gaining an independent voice. It's as simple as that. Most hospitals hire professional "union busters" to try to stop RNs from organizing. Administrations claim that they hire them because managers need assistance in abiding by the law. This assertion is contradicted by anti-union consultants' long history of unlawful conduct. How much are they paid? Under federal labor law, hospitals must disclose how much they are paying anti-union consultants by filing an LM-20 form with the Department of Labor. Hospital administrators devote a tremen- dous amount of time and money — from $2,000 – $4,000 per RN. According to an invoice obtained by CNA, Antelope Valley Hospital, located in southern California, spent $55,000 per week on anti-union consul- tants. That's a lot of money that could be better spent on hiring additional nursing staff and on patient care. What they do: pressuring supervisors to pressure you Under the direction of these anti-union consultants, administration will order supervisors to take the lead in the campaign against CNA/ NNU. Even supervisors who support RNs organizing will be required to conduct one-on-one anti-union meetings with each RN on their unit. Supervisors do not have the protections of federal labor laws during an organizing drive.

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