Unions talking tough Letters hint at Genesys boycott

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.mlive.com/business/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/business-4/117707715256590.xml&coll=5

Unions talking tough
Letters hint at Genesys boycott
GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Friday, April 20, 2007
By Shantell M. Kirkendoll
[e-mail] • 810.766.6366

GRAND BLANC TWP. - A war of words has erupted at Genesys Regional Medical Center, with the UAW and other unions jumping into the fray over the hospital's relationship with a labor-consulting firm.

It's an adversarial windup to upcoming labor talks at the suburban health system, which has about 4,000 workers.

The brewing trouble could lead to unionized letter carriers, autoworkers and utility workers taking their health care business elsewhere, according to letters written to Genesys' new president.

Mark Taylor, president and chief executive officer at Genesys Health System, the hospital's parent company, reached out to the nurses union in an April 12 letter, urging a relationship of mutual respect and trust. But that sentiment was rebuffed as "belated, suspicious, damage control," by Nina Bugbee, president of Teamsters Local 332, which represents registered nurses at Genesys.

At issue is Genesys' use of IRI Consultants to Management Inc. to support its labor and human resources work. Detroit-based IRI promotes itself as helping with employee relations and performance as well as assessing union vulnerability.

As a result of Genesys' work with IRI, the nurses union refuses to meet with Genesys other than when legally necessary for negotiations.

FULL story at link.