Important Information for CGH Medical Center Staff:
Understanding Collective Bargaining
At CGH Medical Center, we continually strive to create the best work experience for our staff and the best care experience for our patients, their families, and the communities we serve.
Recently, the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Council 31, won the right to represent some CGH Medical Center employees.
The union submitted signatures to the Illinois Public Labor Relations Board (IPLRB) which, in turn, certified the AFSCME, Council 31, (on April 26, 2021), as the representative for approximately 742 CGH Medical Center employees working in 64 job classifications. Employees working in these 64 job classifications are now represented by the union and, therefore, included in the AFSCME bargaining unit regardless of whether employees choose to be actual members of the union. Click here to see which job classifications are included by bargaining unit.
This website is a place for you to learn about the process of collective bargaining and get factual answers to questions about the process.
Over the coming weeks and months, CGH Medical Center leaders will meet with AFSCME representatives and negotiate in good faith in an effort to reach a contract agreement covering terms and conditions of employment for CGH bargaining unit employees. Check here for regular updates to the collective bargaining schedule.
We encourage you to explore this site and routinely check back for updates and new information. If you have a question not addressed here, please feel free to ask us using the form below and we will post the answer in the AFAQ section.
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Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
See answers to questions we received so far, along with other common questions (grouped by topic below). If you have a question, please use the form below to anonymously submit your question.
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No. You retain your right and ability to interact directly with CGH Medical Center leaders without having to go through the union. As a non-union employee, you also don’t have to worry about paying union dues or about potential strikes (which can sometimes occur when collective bargaining breaks down).
There are approximately 747 CGH Medical Center employees in 266 different job classifications who are not covered by the AFSCME bargaining unit. These employees retain their individual rights to work directly with CGH leaders without going through the union.
Unfortunately, under Illinois law, if your job classification is included in the bargaining unit which was certified by the Illinois Public Labor Relations Board (IPLRB)on April 26, 2021, then the union speaks for you whether you signed a card or not.
The union required only a simple majority of signatures. Although we were not told exactly how many signatures the union secured, the union needed at least 372 signatures to meet IPLRB requirements.
Union authorization cards represent an employee’s willingness to join the union and become a dues-paying union member. If you sign a card, the union could have dues payments automatically deducted from your paycheck as soon as a contract agreement is reached and goes into effect. This could be why union representatives are asking employees to sign.
Signing a union card is up to you to decide, but you should know that (based on a recent Supreme Court decision involving AFSCME, 31) the union cannot force you to join the union and/or force you to pay union dues. You could decide to wait and see whether the union delivers on their promises before deciding if you want to join and agree to pay dues. The decision is up to you!
Nothing about your job, your pay, or your benefits will change at this time. Any changes will result from mutual agreement between CGH and the union.
At this point, we do not know what things will change and what things will not. We remind employees that collective bargaining is unpredictable and it is impossible to predict what the outcome might be.
