Employees at two outpatient clinics run by Rogers Behavioral Health in West Allis and Madison have voted decisively to unionize.
In separate elections held Wednesday, staff at the West Allis and Madison locations chose to join the National Union of Healthcare Workers. The West Allis clinic saw a 53–4 vote in favor of unionizing, while workers in Madison approved the move by a 26–4 margin.
The results follow weeks of resistance from Rogers, which is a national nonprofit provider of mental health and addiction services with locations in 10 states and based in Oconomowoc.
Rogers had sought to broaden the scope of the elections, arguing they should include all 13 of its Wisconsin facilities rather than only the two where organizing campaigns had taken place, despite recognizing NUHW representation at several of its facilities in California and Pennsylvania. But an April 14 decision by a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board concluded that each clinic could stand as its own bargaining unit.
In a lawsuit filed Monday seeking to block the elections, Rogers challenged the legality of the NLRB’s structure, asserting that its board members and regional officials are insulated from presidential removal in a way that violates constitutional separation of powers and claimed the election process interfered with existing employment agreements and could cause lasting harm.
On Tuesday, a federal judge rejected Rogers’ request for a temporary restraining order, allowing the votes to take place.
NUHW accused Rogers of trying to stop the union election in West Allis on Wednesday, saying it “prohibited NUHW’s representative from entering the facility and then suspended a worker who had agreed to serve as the union’s observer.”
There was no attempt by Rogers to stop the counting of ballots in Madison, NUHW said.
“This vote shows that we want to have a real voice in the care we provide to give our patients their best opportunity to put their lives back in order,” said T’Anna Holst, a therapist at Rogers in West Allis. “It’s been a difficult few months, but Rogers has negotiated strong union contracts in California, and we’re ready to move forward and negotiate a contract here in Wisconsin that will make Rogers the best place to give and receive mental health care.”
The union campaign at the West Allis facility began late last year after changes to employee classifications and workloads. Workers say those changes led to unpredictable schedules, higher patient loads and increased strain on staff.
Rogers has said a union “jeopardizes” the organization’s ability to solve problems quickly and flexibly.
“We acknowledge the union election outcomes in Madison and West Allis Lincoln Center,” Rogers said in a Thursday morning statement. “We are evaluating our next steps in support of our system of care. We are committed to our patients, our people, and the integrated care that has made Rogers a trusted provider across Wisconsin since 1907.”