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Fox Chase Techs United and Fox Chase Nurses United, two unions that make up more than 500 employees at the Fox Chase Cancer Center, have reported Temple Health to the National Labor Relations Board for an alleged labor violation.
The unions allege Temple has conditioned the discussion of their economic proposals on reaching an agreement on non-economic proposals, which the union says is in violation of Section 8(a)(5) of the National Labor Relations Act.
This section of the NLRA states that an employer refusing to bargain with the union is an “unfair labor practice” and describes bad faith bargaining, which is illegal.
“Once we voted to unionize, we repeatedly requested to bargain on our campus so staff could attend the sessions and actively participate,” wrote Edward Hall, a Fox Chase Cancer Center ICU nurse, in a press release from the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals. “Not only were we denied, we were unable to ascertain who exactly was denying our request. For our voices to be heard, we should be able to attend and bargain easily. Instead, we are forced to meet off-site and be strung along by management.”
Temple Health declined The Temple News’ request for comment.
If sufficient evidence is found to support the unions’ charges, NLRB will facilitate a settlement between the unions and Temple Health. The board will issue a complaint if a settlement is not reached, which leads to a hearing brought before an NLRB Administrative Law Judge.
The board may take action to remedy wrongdoing, through reinstatement or back pay for fired employees for example, if it finds an employee or unions’ rights have been violated. They could also order the employer to post “informational remedies,” like a notice where the employer promises not to violate the law.
Both Fox Chase Techs United and Fox Chase Nurses United voted to unionize in June 2023 and are currently negotiating their first contract. The unions and Temple Health have met 19 times in more than five months.
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