Fourth nurse files unfair labor complaint against union
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A fourth nurse has filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the Minnesota Nurses Association, saying the union has no right to punish her for working during a June 10 strike against Twin Cities hospitals.
The attorney for nurse Susan Clark says the union failed to notify Clark she could quit the MNA and face no discipline if she worked during the strike.
Clark says she would have quit the union had she known that. But the MNA says it regularly tells members they can quit.
Joni Ketter of the nurses' union says about 70 union members crossed the picket line without quitting.
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"Our board of directors is convening a hearing panel to look the issue of nurses who were members and who choose to cross the picketline on June 10," Ketter said.
Ketter says none of them had quit the union. The union says a half-dozen or so members did quit the union before the strike, and they will not be subject to discipline.
Clark's attorney Glenn Taubman says the Minnesota Nurses Association failed to notify Clark she could have quit.
"They can discipline voluntary members, truly voluntary members. But they cannot discipline involuntary members or people who were not members at all," Taubman said. "And that's really what the issue is."
