Monday June 7, 2021
Healthcare Labor Activity Report
The new ASHHRA Healthcare Labor Activity Report is a comprehensive resource for healthcare human resources professionals and provides an accurate and timely analyses of union organizing activity in the healthcare industry. The publication available to ASHHRA members, developed in collaboration with Chessboard Consulting.
As the authoritative resource for healthcare human resources professionals, ASHHRA provides members with important and timely information about labor activity across the nation. The report includes analyses of national, regional and state representation petitions and elections as reported by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The report also includes articles written by labor experts about relevant and timely labor issues impacting employers and the workplace.
Content and Layout
At ASHHRA, our goal is always to provide our members with data that is ready to use as you work to improve employee engagement and your organization’s performance. For this reason, the Healthcare Labor Activity Report begins with an Executive Summary and a review of Important Trends to Watch in 2023 that could influence union organizing in healthcare. A more detailed review of the data is presented later in the report. Appendices also provide important background information.
Introduction
As 2025 begins, healthcare employers continue to face many challenges, including: rising costs of providing care, increasing regulatory complexity, and workforce challenges (i.e., turnover, retention, burnout, etc.).
Another challenge for healthcare employers has been the continued escalation of union organizing targeting healthcare workers – including physicians and other professional providers. Over the past four years, unions have leveraged pandemic era workforce disruptions and a supportive regulatory climate under the Biden administration to target and organize healthcare workers and professional staff.
PowerPoint Deck
This report is accompanied by the PowerPoint slide deck presented during the live webinar held on Jan. 14, 2025.
Introduction
In 2023, healthcare employers continued to face many challenges related to the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. And, while staff turnover and vacancies have begun to improve, critical staffing shortages remain (with registered nurse (RN) turnover at 22.5% and vacancies at 15.7% at the beginning of 2023).
At the same time, financial challenges continue to mount for hospitals and health systems. While 2022 was one of the most challenging for healthcare organizations, the aftermath of the pandemic finds healthcare employers dealing with significant and sustained increases in costs for drugs, supplies and equipment, and labor. According to a report recently published by the American Hospital Association, in 2023, rising costs represent a new existential challenge for hospitals and health systems.
For organized labor, on the other hand, all the stars remain in alignment: tight labor markets continue to give labor the upper hand in negotiations; elevated public approval of unions translates into more employees being receptive to union organizing appeals; and the NLRB’s supportive stance provides unions an enormous advantage and multiple options for winning recognition of new bargaining units.
PowerPoint Deck
This report is accompanied by the PowerPoint slide deck presented during the live webinar held on Jan. 9, 2024.
About this Mid-Year Update
The ASHHRA Healthcare Labor Activity Report – Mid-Year 2023 report provides a mid-year 2023 update on union organizing activity in the healthcare industry and is a follow-up to the ASHHRA Annual Healthcare Labor Activity Report last published in January 2023.
This report reflects an analysis of available data on healthcare union organizing drawn from multiple sources, including the U.S. Department of Labor (U.S. DOL); National Labor Relations Board (NLRB); Bloomberg Law: Labor PLUS Databases; Cornell-ILR, Labor Action Tracker; and various local and national news outlets.
NLRB election data is dynamic and subject to case activity influenced by ongoing litigation between employers, unions and the NLRB. As such, the data is subject to ongoing revision.
PowerPoint Deck
This report is accompanied by the PowerPoint slide deck presented during the live webinar held on July 25, 2023.
A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON UNION ORGANIZING IN HEALTHCARE
Authored for the first time by Chris Cimino at Chessboard Consulting, the ASHHRA 2023 Healthcare Labor Activity Report is redesigned to present data and information in a streamlined format to support informed decision-making for healthcare executives.
Data and Analysis
This report contains an analysis of available data on healthcare union organizing. Data is drawn from multiple sources, including, but not limited to:
- U.S. Department of Labor (U.S. DOL)
- National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
- Bloomberg Law: Labor PLUS Databases
- Cornell-ILR, Labor Action Tracker
- The Gallup Organization
NLRB election data is dynamic and subject to case activity influenced by ongoing litigation between employers, unions, and the NLRB. As such, the data is subject to revision. As in past years, all data is presented on a calendar year basis.
PowerPoint Deck
This report also comes with a PowerPoint presentation you can use for briefing your board of directors, senior leaders, or mid-level/front-line leaders with important highlights from this report.
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