Longmont United Hospital RNs now part of nurses union

At least 200 nurses at Longmont United Hospital are now members of the nation’s largest union of registered nurses.

After National Labor Relations Board officials rejected a last employer appeal Thursday, board officials counted the remaining ballots Friday. The count secured the win for LUH nurses to become members of the National Nurses Organizing Committee, an affiliate of National Nurses United, according to a National Nurses United news release.

“We are ecstatic,” said Longmont RN Kris Kloster in the news release. “Longmont RNs are ready to work negotiating a fair contract for the best conditions for our patients and our community.”

NNU President Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, RN, congratulated the Longmont RN’s “for your patience through a long process to ensure your victory and your phenomenal dedication to upgrading patient care for your community. NNU is proud to welcome you and stand by you.” 

“With the backing of the NNU, we will have a powerful collective voice to strengthen patient safety standards, improve infectious disease protocols, secure enforceable protections for workplace violence, and win other standards to help recruit new RNs and retain experienced nurses,” Kloster said.

Longmont will be the first private-sector NNU-affiliated hospital in Colorado, though NNU already represents VA Eastern Colorado Health Care system hospitals in Denver and Aurora, among 180,000 RNs from coast to coast, the news release states.

In the months since the initial vote, Longmont RN’s have committed to build unity among nurses throughout the hospital, the news release states. In late December, the RNs held a speak-out to alert the public about safe staffing concerns and the growing loss of RNs unwilling to work in what they view as unsustainable and unsafe conditions.

“We know that with a union contract, and the experience that NNU affiliates have demonstrated across the nation, we can address our concerns for urgent conditions today, and for the future of all Longmont patients and residents,” said Tricia Hartley, a Longmont RN.

In a statement to the Leader, Centura Health states: “The National Labor Relations Board counted the remaining votes in the secret ballot union election, and our registered nurses at Longmont United Hospital  (LUH) voted to be represented by the National Nurses United (NNU) labor union. This outcome must be certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). This process usually takes up to seven business days if no objections to the conduct of the election are filed.”

"Throughout this process, our commitment to providing whole person care to our patients and vibrant communities has remained our top priority — and that will not change,” according to the Centura Health statement. “We are neighbors serving neighbors, and local residents and the community will continue to receive the high-quality care that they have come to expect from LUH.”

The Longmont facility, a Centura Health hospital, is partially owned by CommonSpirit Health, an alliance of Dignity Health and Catholic Health Initiatives that is the largest nonprofit hospital chain in the United States. NNU has long experience with the Dignity system, and currently represents 14,000 Dignity Health RNs in 29 hospitals in California and Nevada, the news release states.

Longmont RNs are calling on the hospital administration to respect the democratic decision of RNs heading into talks for a fair first contract, the news release states. RNs will next elect a team of their peers to represent them in bargaining with the employer.

“I have seen RNs break down into tears at the end of a shift and even during work because we want to provide the best care possible but are unable to with how short staffed we are,” said Longmont RN Alison Jelinek in December before the speakout. She urged the administration “to work with us to improve the hospital,” the news release states.