Judge Rules Antelope Valley Hospital Must Recognize Nurses’ Ballots

Donn Ginoza, an administrative law judge with the California Public Employment Relations Board, on Monday ruled that Antelope Valley Hospital must recognize the "card-style ballots" submitted by nurses voting for union representation, the Los Angeles Times reports (Los Angeles Times, 10/11). A majority of the hospital's nurses in May submitted signed authorization cards voting to join the California Nurses Association. Under a new state law (AB 1281) that took effect Jan. 1, union supporters can collect the signatures of a majority of nurses at a hospital to approve unionization, rather than hold an election. However, Antelope Valley officials said that the law does not override a hospital policy requiring a secret ballot election to approve unionization (California Healthline, 7/31). Ginoza ruled that the new state law supersedes the hospital requirement for a secret ballot election. Hospital officials have not yet determined whether to appeal the ruling, according to Ed Callahan, a hospital spokesperson (Los Angeles Times, 10/11).