Frontline Workers at Equitas Health Take Steps to Form Union With OFT-AFT
Frontline employees at Equitas Health called on management to voluntarily recognize their union after they presented signed union cards from a supermajority of staff who work in related job categories. The proposed bargaining unit covers approximately 150 social workers, counselors, therapists, advocates, case managers, and other employees who work in Equitas Health offices across Ohio.
"We need a strong voice to keep reminding leadership of our mission and values,” said Ria D. Megnin, a mental health therapist at Equitas Health Dayton Medical Center. “Frontline workers know what's happening with our clients and what program changes are needed so we can all thrive. We know what it's like to lose our best coworkers to agencies offering competitive living wages and benefits, better facilities and training, and more support for advancement. Equitas Health needs a union to help us keep the compassionate, highly skilled, engaged staff we need in order to better serve our communities and meet our agency's goals."
The signed union cards, indicating that employees are forming a union affiliated with the Ohio Federation of Teachers, were filed today with the Cincinnati regional office of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). If Equitas’ management and Board of Directors choose not to voluntarily recognize the clear decision made by their employees, a secret ballot union election will be scheduled by the NLRB.
“The frontline workers at Equitas Health are committed advocates for their clients and for the communities that they serve,” said Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers. “They’re forming their union – and uniting with AFT’s 1.7 million members nationwide – because protections at work and a collective voice are powerful tools that can be employed to advocate for what their organization and clients need.”
