Nurses Rally Against SSM Health for Union Rights and Reinstatement

Nurses Advocate for Union Rights at SSM Health

Registered nurses from SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital (SLUH) in St. Louis, Missouri, are gearing up for a rally on Wednesday, July 22. The demonstration aims to protest against the dismissal of two skilled nurses, Jessica Tulk and Earline Shepard, by SSM Health. These nurses, represented by the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU), were terminated for engaging in protected union activities.

Union support is vital for nurses nationwide and in the St. Louis area, as it empowers them to advocate effectively for their patients. Many nurses feel SSM Health is not meeting patient needs adequately. In response, nurses have been participating in union activities to push for top-tier patient care standards. Two SLUH nurses faced termination after discussing the benefits of unionizing with colleagues at other SSM Health facilities. The nurses are now demanding the reinstatement of the terminated staff and for SSM Health to uphold union rights.

Event Details

Who: Nurses from Saint Louis University Hospital

What: Rally to reinstate unjustly terminated nurses

When: Wednesday, July 22nd, 8:00 a.m.

Where: Saint Louis University Hospital, 1201 South Grand Blvd, St. Louis, Mo.

“Jessica and Earline are longtime, dedicated nurses and union members. As union nurses at SLUH, they were on the bargaining team and committees advocating for patients and demanding SSM Health follow their mission and values,” stated Kellie Allen, RN and SLUH chief nurse representative. Allen further explained, “Union nurses have exercised our protected union rights and have gone to other area hospitals to talk with nurses interested in joining a union. I’ve done it several times and SSM has never issued any discipline, but now they claim it’s a violation of solicitation policy? It is clearly a cover for union busting! We can’t let SSM get away with this. We need all union workers to call out SSM for these unjust terminations.”

NNOC represents more than 700 nurses at Saint Louis University Hospital.

NNOC/NNU is an affiliate of National Nurses United, the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation, representing nearly 225,000 RNs at more than 200 facilities nationwide.

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