Union victory in Chicago
Rush University Medical Center RNs form union
By Chuleenan Svetvilas
National Nurse magazine - July | Aug | Sept 2026 Issue
In May, registered nurses at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago voted overwhelmingly, with 77 percent in favor, of joining National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC), an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), the nation’s largest and fastest-growing registered nurse union.
The nurses filed their petition with the National Labor Relations Board for a union election on April 9. It was Chicago’s largest filing on record for a union election in the health care sector, and one of the largest in any industry in the city. Nurses at Rush, which includes a 671-bed hospital, said they wanted to join NNOC/NNU because it is critical that nurses have a say in making decisions about patient care and nurse recruitment and retention, which leads to improved patient care.
When Rush nurses filed for their election in April, Keeley Binion, an RN in medical observation at Rush stated, “We are so excited to file for a union election. Nurses are essential to patient care. We want to ensure that management prioritizes staffing and retention so we can give our patients the best care possible.”
“As union members, we will be even stronger advocates for our patients,” said Olivia Bouchard, RN on the labor and delivery unit. “I hope we inspire RNs in hospitals across Chicago and around the country to organize. Safe staffing ratios help improve nurse retention, fostering a more supportive and responsive environment for patients.”
“We are proud to join a strong union for RNs in National Nurses Organizing Committee that will give us the tools and resources to be powerful advocates for our patients,” said Jennifer Pearl, RN in the medical-surgical unit’s float pool. “We call on all nurses in Chicago to join us in our union and organize for safe staffing, nurse retention, and improved patient care.”
“We are excited to bargain for a strong contract that protects patients and nurses so we can provide the best care possible,” said Regina Piper, RN in the antepartum/postpartum unit. “We want safe staffing. We want Rush to put patients before profits.”
NNOC now represents about 2,000 nurses at Rush University Medical Center, who will soon enter negotiations for their first collective bargaining agreement. They will join more than 7,000 RNs at nine Chicago facilities who are members of NNOC/NNU.