Magee nurses rally outside of UPMC headquarters

Dozens of Magee-Womens Hospital nurses joined elected officials and community members to rally against UPMC this morning. After nurses announced their decision to unionize and stand up for their patients on April 29, UPMC executives argued they could not have a union election. They also claimed that if there was an election, hundreds of nurses who are considered “charge nurses” would be ineligible to vote since they act as supervisors. While charge nurses sometimes have responsibilities in coordinating patient care, they are not considered supervisors. Clare Duffus, a postpartum nurse at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital said, “The idea that charge nurses are supervisors, was news to every nurse in the hospital. I myself work as a charge nurse and I have never heard of a group of union nurses that didn’t include charge nurses. I have never been given the authority of a supervisor… but suddenly when it comes time for nurses to exercise our freedom to vote, we are supervisors.”

Rep. Summer Lee and Rep. Chris Deluzio joined the Magee nurses in denouncing UPMC’s actions. Deluzio spoke to the media stating, “My message is clear, I think UPMC or any other employer should butt out and these workers should have the freedom to decide for themselves if they want a union and they deserve a free and fair election to make that decision.” Summer Lee also took to the microphone to show her support for Magee’s nurses, “We understand that the power of the people is still greater than the people in power… We have to recognize the nurses here who are risking their livelihoods to get better protections for you, safer conditions for you, the patient.”