NLRB order will lead to re-run of large Kaiser election in California

The National Labor Relations Board has issued an order that will lead to a re-run of an election held in the fall of 2010 among about 43,000 employees of Kaiser Permanente in California. The employees voted on whether to remain represented by their current union or to select a different union or no representation. View the order here.
Last month, Administrative Law Judge Lana Parke issued a report following a hearing on objections to the election filed by the union that lost the election.  The objections alleged improper election conduct. Judge Parke sustained some allegations and rejected others, and recommended that the results of the original election be set aside and a new election held. 
Voters in the original election, which was the largest mail ballot election in the Agency’s history, favored the incumbent union, United Healthcare Workers (UHW), part of SEIU. The election was sought by the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), a union created by former leaders of the UHW. 
UHW/SEIU and Kaiser filed a joint motion with the Board agreeing to the new election, but NUHW opposed the request. Today’s order, by Chairman Wilma B. Liebman and Members Brian Hayes and Mark Gaston Pearce, with Member Craig Becker recused, grants the joint motion, remanding the case to the Oakland region for appropriate action, including the scheduling of a new election.