Nurses at Independence, MO-based Centerpoint await election on bargaining unit

Despite ongoing legal actions, the nurses union at Independence, MO-based Centerpoint Medical Center has agreed to allow a vote to proceed that seeks to remove the bargaining unit. The National Labor Relations Board has scheduled an election April 23-24 at Centerpoint after a group of nurses sought to decertify Nurses United Local 5126 as its representative. Centerpoint has been in talks with Local 5126 since May in an effort to reach an initial contract. Nurses at the hospital voted to join the union in November 2007. The union has filed unfair labor practice charges against the hospital, some of which have been settled and others that are still pending.