Some of the nurses in the organization are preparing to unionize due to longstanding issues related to mandatory overtime policies enforced by the health care organization

Question

Which of the following statements by a nurse supervisor is an example of an unfair labor practice?

1. "It's up to you as nurses to decide for yourselves whether you want to join a union."
2. "The rights of those who refrain from joining the union are as important as the rights of those of you who do join."
3. "It doesn't matter to me how you decide to organize yourselves."
4. "I'm sorry that the time I've chosen for your mandatory staff meeting is at the same time as your union meeting."

Answer 1

Answer: 2

Rationale: The employer's role when nurses organize is to promote the employees' rights to organize. The rights of the workers who decide to join the union and the rights of those who decide not to join must be protected. The nurse supervisor cannot interfere with the right to organize, support one collective bargaining agent over another, encourage or discourage union membership, or terminate any employee who testifies on behalf of the collective bargaining agent. Setting a mandatory staff meeting for the same time as a scheduled union meeting is illegal.