Pittsburgh Hospital Interfered With Union Drive, Labor Board Says

A Pittsburgh hospital embroiled in labor disputes violated federal law by banning off-duty workers from discussing unionization and distributing organizing materials in the hospital cafeteria, the National Labor Relations Board ruled Aug. 6.

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and related hospitals went too far by prohibiting workers from talking about unionization with labor representatives and their co-workers in non-patient-care areas of their facilities, the board said in a 3-0 decision. But medical care employers have the right to ban union solicitation in areas where patients are being treated, the board said. UPMC didn’t show the broader rule was necessary to ...