Framingham Union Nurses Say Yes To Union

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Nurses at Framingham Union Hospital were successful in their efforts to unionize, voting overwhelmingly to do so during a Wednesday election.

A source with the Massachusetts Nurses Association tells Patch on Thursday that 188 voters were in favor of unionizing while just 37 voted no.

Officials with the MNA have already put in a demand to begin bargaining, but that process is likely to take a little time as they wait for the vote to be certified.

As nurses wait for bargaining to begin, it's expected they'll begin creating their local union guidelines, electing committee members and developing contract proposals.

The mood among the staff is that of victory, but also relief.

“Caring for patients in a hospital has never been more challenging and complex,” said Framingham Union RN Paivi Ratu-Rodriguez. “Our election victory gives us the power to make positive changes that benefit our patients, the working environment of our colleagues, and our entire community.”

There are approximately 280 registered nurses eligible to be represented by the union. Some of their positions include:

• Improve nurses’ ability to provide quality safe patient care
• Promote a safe and healthy working environment
• Revive and preserve a sense of pride, morale, and respect in their community hospital
• Feel valued, treated with respect as a profession and satisfaction in their work

This process began in September, when nurses filed an election petition with the National Labor Relations Board.

From that time, nurses said, officials from Tenet Healthcare — which owns the hospital — have engaged in "union busting" tactics.

This includes filing a "frivolous" appeal to the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, DC, MNA officials said in November.

City officials have also recently taken an interest in local healthcare and announced that MetroWest Medical Center CEO John Whitlock and Tenet Massachusetts Market CEO Carolyn Jackson will be in attendance at a Jan. 16 council meeting.

"We had residents raise some concerns about Framingham Union Hospital/MetroWest Medical Center at several of our meetings in late 2023. The City Council invited the CEO to attend a meeting and address those concerns," said City Council Chair Phil Ottaviani Jr.

"I am looking forward to a robust discussion on the hospital and the care it provides our residents."