As you learn more about unionization and hear information from both sides, it’s important to know your rights.
If you work at an Essentia clinic or other location where a petition for an election has been filed and you have any doubts about unionization, we urge you to vote “no” (against unionization). Voting “no” spares you from being locked into what could be a permanent decision. If after a year you feel Essentia has let you down, the process to unionize could begin again.
As an Essentia Health colleague, you have the right to:
- Sign or refuse to sign a union card or petition in support of the union.
- Vote “no” (against unionization) if you are an eligible voter in a union election, even if you previously signed a card or petition in support of the union. NLRB elections are conducted by secret, and no one will know how you vote unless you tell them.
- Learn the facts about unionization, including facts the union might not want you to know.
- Talk or refuse to talk about the union with co-workers in non-patient care areas (as long as these discussions do not interfere with your work or the work of others).
- Attend or decline invitations to union meetings (online or in-person).
- Attend or decline invitations to union social media groups.
- Talk with your manager, co-workers, and others about the union.
- Ask your manager or HR any questions you may have about the union. If your manager does not know the answer, they will find out for you or put you in contact with someone who does.
- Protect your privacy; you are not required to give the union your personal information.
We encourage you to base your decision about the union on facts and to make a fully informed, personal decision.
If you’re a colleague who’s scheduled to vote, please vote no and choose, instead, to move forward working together to make our clinic work experience the best it can be for nurses, patients, and all colleagues.
