Washington, DC – The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) today filed an amicus curiae brief in a case before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that has serious implications for the long term and post-acute care profession.
“The determination of collective bargaining units in long term and post-acute care facilities should be made on a facility-by-facility basis,” stated Governor Mark Parkinson, President & CEO of AHCA/NCAL. “We must speak for our members and remind the NLRB that over 75 years of precedent is a strong indicator that the current process is working. To ignore that fact could drastically affect not only our profession, but many other professions as well.”
Co-signed by a large number of other long term and post-acute care organizations, AHCA/NCAL’s amicus brief highlights the fact that the NLRB is contemplating a fundamental change in the manner in which it determines the composition of bargaining units in healthcare facilities.
In response to solicitation by the NLRB, the brief points out that the traditional board methodology for determining the composition of bargaining units in facilities is not only sound, but effectively and strongly supports the exercise of employee rights while recognizing the needs of patients and residents within facilities nationwide. The brief maintains that Congress’s hesitation decades ago to enact individual bargaining units in facilities – citing “the interruption of vital services” and “administration burdens to facility management” – remain relevant arguments today.
Long term and post-acute care communities work every day to provide a stable environment with competitive wages. The brief emphasizes that there is little to suggest that any substantial changes have occurred regarding the operation of these facilities that would necessitate any change.
The amicus brief was signed by a total of 54 associations, listed below:
The American Health Care Association (AHCA)
The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL)
The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care
Leading Age
American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA)
Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA)
Alabama Nursing Home Association
Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association
Arizona Health Care Association
Arkansas Health Care Association
California Association of Health Facilities
Care Providers of Minnesota
Colorado Health Care Association
Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities
Delaware Health Care Facilities Association
District of Columbia Health Care Association
Florida Health Care Association
Georgia Health Care Association
Healthcare Association of Hawaii
Idaho Health Care Association
Indiana Health Care Association
Iowa Health Care Association
Kansas Health Care Association
Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities
Louisiana Nursing Home Association
Maine Health Care Association
Massachusetts Senior Care Association
Health Facilities Association of Maryland
Health Care Association of Michigan
Missouri Health Care Association
Nebraska Health Care Association
Nevada Health Care Association
New Hampshire Health Care Association
Health Care Association of New Jersey
New Mexico Health Care Association
New York State Health Facilities Association
North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association
North Dakota Long Term Care Association
Ohio Health Care Association
Oklahoma Association of Health Care Providers
Oregon Health Care Association
Pennsylvania Health Care Association
Rhode Island Health Care Association
South Carolina Health Care Association
South Dakota Health Care Association
Tennessee Health Care Association
Texas Health Care Association
Utah Health Care Association
Vermont Health Care Association
Virginia Health Care Association
Washington Health Care Association
West Virginia Health Care Association
Wisconsin Health Care Association
Wyoming Health Care Association