Public Case No. R 1976-009
Communication Workers of America v.
Pike County Memorial Hospital, Louisiana, Missouri
CWA petitioned for all occupational employees of Pike County Memorial Hospital, including Nursing Staff, Technicians, Aides, Housekeeping, Dietary, Maintenance, Ambulance Service, and Unit Secretaries.
The Board concluded that Registered Nurses constitute a well-defined professional group of employees whose training, skills, and duties are different from those of the other hospital employees. The Board, therefore, excluded the nurses from the bargaining unit.
The Board decided to include the Business Office clericals in the unit, based on similarities in wages, hours, and working conditions. The petitioner argued these employees should be excluded because they had no interest in representing them. The Board said that while that could be considered, it is never controlling.
Finally, the Board denied as untimely, the petitioner’s motion to amend the petition to exclude part-time employees. They noted, however, that the general rule is to include part-time workers if they possess a similarity of interest and working conditions with those full-time employees in the bargaining unit.
Date Issued:November 30, 1976