Michigan Nurses Association files lawsuit against Sparrow Hospital, alleging violations of federal labor law

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LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – The Michigan Nurses Association announced Wednesday that the organization has filed an unfair labor practices complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against Sparrow Health System.

The NLRB is an independent agency of the United States federal government responsible for enforcing United States labor law relating to collective bargaining and unfair labor practices.

We are completely fed up with the anti-union attitude of Sparrow executives, said Jessica Lannon, RN and Grievance Chair for the Council of Professional Employees at Sparrow Hospital. They continue to try to silence the voices of caregivers. The Sparrows administration has crossed the line too often and must be held accountable.

An official at Sparrow Hospital said the allegations were false.

We are reviewing the complaint and will have a response if necessary, said John Foren, a representative for Sparrow Health System. We deny all of the allegations contained in the complaint.

The Michigan Nurses Association alleges that hospital officials:

Illegally abandoned the process of staff safety concern in the carers union contract before it expired; Staff illegally interrogated about union activities and unlawfully attempted to prevent staff from wearing red to show support for their union; Illegally announced that it plans to restrict provider networks in 2022 for employee health insurance plans; illegally created a nursing position at Sparrow outside the union; illegally refused to share financial information with the union; employees have been illegally coerced into legally protecting the right to strike, including by making bargaining proposals containing a written threat to withdraw proposals on wages, health care and other economic conditions automatically upon notice of strike.

Related: Sparrow Hospital Nurses Vote To Allow Strike Amid Contract Dispute

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