Public Case No. R 2002-054
International Association of Fire Fighters v.
Pike County Memorial Hospital, Louisiana, Missouri
In its petition, the Union sought to represent a bargaining unit consisting of all full-time Paramedics and EMTs of the Hospital’s Ambulance Department, excluding the Department Director. The Hospital contended that the petitioned for bargaining unit was inappropriate as an attempt to \"cherry-pick\" a small group of employees to create a bargaining unit which would lead to over-fragmentation of the Hospital's workforce. The Hospital proposed a hospital-wide bargaining unit. The Hospital included in it proposed unit five contract employees employed by private employers.
The Board applied the eleven factors traditionally used to determine whether employees share a clear and identifiable community of interest. Based upon the Board’s application of the factors, the Board held that a bargaining unit consisting of all full-time Paramedics and EMTs of the Hospital’s Ambulance Department, excluding the Department Director, was an appropriate unit. The Board further held that the EMTs and Paramedics held unique positions within the Hospital and separate representation was necessary to protect their right to effective bargaining.
Date Issued: April 30, 2003