Littler recently reviewed union election results at hospitals over the last five years.  The attached survey (Table - Analysis of Union Elections.XLS) is assembled geographically and includes information on the organizing union, the hospital employer, the number of eligible voters, a bargaining unit description, the turnout, and the actual for/against numbers in the election. 

In 2005, unions won 57% of the elections covering hospital bargaining units.  In 2009, and so far in 2010, the union success rate has improved to 78% and 80% respectively.  The data establishes that unions have been winning a larger percentage of elections in the past few years, but unions also have been gathering more of the overall voting percentage.  Specifically, in 2005, of the nearly 9,000 votes cast in hospital elections, about 50% were cast for the union.  By 2010, while the total number of votes cast remained close to 9,000, 70% of voters cast their ballot for the union.

The survey results demonstrate that unions are gaining increasing traction in hospitals, winning a significant majority of elections and total votes.  Accordingly, hospitals concerned about the prospect of unionization should consult experienced counsel to develop proactive strategies to reduce the risk.     

This entry was written by Erik Hult.