On Tuesday, UMMAP leadership filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the Michigan Employment Relations Commission against Michigan Medicine/University of Michigan, alleging that the hospital system repeatedly engaged in bad faith bargaining and has illegally censored employee speech in a bid to crack down on dissent. Our sibling union SEIU also filed a ULP against Michigan Medicine for the same anti-union policy.
UMMAP’s ULP charge details a series of actions by Michigan Medicine Labor Relations Director Hakim Berry, banning union speech in the hospital system and delaying bargaining. After we launched our pizza button campaign, the University abruptly changed the dress and appearance guidelines to give managers authority to prohibit union activity at work, a clear violation of labor law.
Some lab managers, for instance, told employees they would be disciplined if they discussed the union while in the lab, and ordered staff to take off “a textless sticker that contained a picture of a cartoon pizza making a peace sign with its finger,” as it could be connected to the union.
Let us be clear: Michigan Medicine’s anti-union edicts are illegal and must be challenged. We are fighting back to protect our rights as workers. While the ULP is being processed by the Michigan Employment Relations Commission, we advise members to continue to comply with direct orders from your supervisors. Please report any anti-union management activity to office@ummap6739.org.
