Nurses are calling on SSM Health to respect the union rights of all workers

Registered nurses at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital (SLUH) in St. Louis, Mo._, will hold a rally on Wednesday, July 22, to protest SSM Health’s termination of two highly skilled and dedicated nurses, Jessica Tulk and Earline Shepard, for participating in protected, concerted union activities. The nurses are represented by National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU).

Nurses across the country and in the St. Louis region depend on their union to be able to best advocate for their patients. Nurses believe that SSM is not doing enough for patients and are exercising their rights to join in union activities to fight for the highest standards that all patients deserve. Two SLUH nurses were fired for talking to nurses at other SSM Health facilities about how joining together can improve patient care and working conditions. RNs are demanding that the two nurses are returned to work and SSM Health respects workers’ union rights.

Who:    Nurses from Saint Louis University Hospital

What:   Rally to reinstate unjustly terminated nurses

When:  Wednesday, July 22nd, 8:00 a.m.

Where: Saint Louis University Hospital, 1201 South Grand Blvd, St. Louis, Mo.

“Jessica and Earline are longtime, dedicated nurses and union members. As union nurses at SLUH, they were on the bargaining team and committees advocating for patients and demanding SSM Health follow their mission and values,” said Kellie Allen, RN and SLUH chief nurse representative. “Union nurses have exercised our protected union rights and have gone to other area hospitals to talk with nurses interested in joining a union. I’ve done it several times and SSM has never issued any discipline, but now they claim it’s a violation of solicitation policy? It is clearly a cover for union busting! We can’t let SSM get away with this. We need all union workers to call out SSM for these unjust terminations.”

NNOC represents more than 700 nurses at Saint Louis University Hospital.

NNOC/NNU is an affiliate of National Nurses United, the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation, representing nearly 225,000 RNs at more than 200 facilities nationwide.