NURSES AT VERMONT'S LARGEST HOSPITAL
VOTE FOR UNION REPRESENTATION

WASHINGTON – Registered nurses at Vermont’s largest hospital, Fletcher Allen Health Care, voted overwhelmingly to be represented by a union Thursday night, a victory considered the nation’s largest election win for RNs in nearly a year.

More than 1,300 Fletcher Allen nurses will be represented by AFT Healthcare, the healthcare division of the 1.2 million-member American Federation of Teachers. Fletcher Allen is located in Burlington, Vt.

“This monumental victory is a tremendous win for Fletcher Allen nurses and patients. The vote for representation is a testament to the nurses’ unwavering faith in the power of a union to give voice to their desire to improve standards of patient care, secure a healthy and safe working environment, and establish equitable wages and benefits for front-line healthcare workers,” said AFT president Sandra Feldman.

The final vote was 672-345. The victory is the largest RN election for AFT Healthcare in almost a decade, the largest union election win in Vermont in decades, and the largest healthcare union victory in New England since 1993.

“Everything in this campaign boiled down to nurses’ concern over quality patient care. There aren’t enough nurses to care for patients, and having a voice in patient-care decisions will make a big difference. Also, competitive wages and benefits will improve recruitment and retention, which will in turn improve patient care,” said Peg Coon, a registered nurse at Fletcher Allen.

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