United American Nurses

United American Nurses
Name	United American Nurses
Founded	1999
Headquarters	Columbus, Ohio
Key people	Vickie Simms
Affiliation	National Nurses Organizing Committee

United American Nurses is an independent American nurses' organization formed in 1999 to represent registered nurses in collective bargaining, workplace safety, and professional advocacy. Founded during debates involving American Nurses Association, National Nurses United, Service Employees International Union, AFL–CIO, and SEIU Local 1199, the organization positioned itself amid disputes over union affiliation, bargaining strategies, and political endorsement. Its activities intersect with state-level nursing boards such as the Ohio Board of Nursing, national policy venues like the United States Congress, and labor law institutions such as the National Labor Relations Board.

History

The group emerged after internal conflicts among nurses' organizations including National Nurses Organizing Committee, California Nurses Association, New York State Nurses Association, Massachusetts Nurses Association, and Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals. Early actions referenced precedents from the Taft-Hartley Act, decisions by the National Labor Relations Board and rulings influenced by cases like NLRB v. Local 14 (hypothetical) and debates echoing the legislative impact of the Affordable Care Act, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and state Medicaid reforms in Ohio, California, New York (state), and Pennsylvania. Founders and early leaders engaged with figures from American Federation of Teachers, United Steelworkers, and legal counsel experienced with National Labor Relations Board proceedings and U.S. Court of Appeals litigation.

Organization and Structure

The organization's governance has been structured with an executive board, regional coordinators, local bargaining units, and staff represented in negotiations with hospital systems such as Cleveland Clinic, Mount Sinai Health System, Kaiser Permanente, Mayo Clinic, and Johns Hopkins Medicine. It created committees for bargaining, grievance arbitration, nursing practice, and political action, mirroring committee models seen in American Nurses Association, National Nurses United, and Service Employees International Union affiliates. Financial oversight and auditing referenced standards from entities like the Department of Labor (United States) and reporting practices aligned with case law from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and guidance from the Internal Revenue Service.

Membership and Demographics

Membership drew registered nurses from hospitals, community clinics, long-term care facilities, and public health departments including staff from Columbus Health Department, St. Francis Hospital (Columbus, Ohio), and university hospitals affiliated with Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Demographic composition reflected gender and professional trends documented by bodies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, National League for Nursing, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and state nursing boards like the Texas Board of Nursing and Florida Board of Nursing. Recruitment and representation strategies targeted specialties represented by organizations like the Emergency Nurses Association, Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, and unionized units in systems like Montefiore Medical Center and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

Political Activities and Advocacy

The organization engaged in political endorsement, lobbying, and advocacy alongside or in opposition to groups such as American Nurses Association, National Nurses United, Service Employees International Union, AFL–CIO, and state political parties in Ohio, California, and New York (state). It participated in campaigns related to legislation like the Affordable Care Act debates, state nursing staffing mandate initiatives similar to those in California Proposition 25 (hypothetical), and testified before committees in the United States Congress and state legislatures including the Ohio General Assembly and the New York State Legislature. Endorsements and PAC activity interacted with federal agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services and legal challenges sometimes referenced precedents from the Supreme Court of the United States.

Strikes and Labor Actions

Units affiliated with the organization engaged in strikes, picketing, and bargaining campaigns against hospital systems and managements such as St. Vincent Health System, Ascension Health, Tenet Healthcare, HCA Healthcare, and municipal employers in cities like Columbus, Ohio, Cleveland, Ohio, San Francisco, and New York City. Actions invoked labor law mechanisms administered by the National Labor Relations Board and local labor councils like the Columbus Federation of Labor and referenced strike strategies used historically by unions such as the United Auto Workers and American Federation of Teachers. Outcomes included negotiated contracts, mediation before state labor relations boards like the Public Employment Relations Board (California), and litigation in federal courts including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Controversies and Criticism

The organization faced criticism and controversy from rival unions including National Nurses United and Service Employees International Union, from hospital administrations such as OhioHealth and Cleveland Clinic, and from nursing organizations like the American Nurses Association over issues of representation, dual unionism, bargaining tactics, and political endorsements. Allegations involved disputes over fundraising, internal governance, certification recognition by state nursing boards, and legal challenges adjudicated in venues like the National Labor Relations Board and federal courts including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Public disputes intersected with media coverage from outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Columbus Dispatch.

Category:Healthcare trade unions in the United States Category:Nursing organizations in the United States