Mary's hospital nurses choose union representation in NLRB election

St. Mary's Hospital nurses in Madison voted Thursday to unionize in the largest representation election in Wisconsin in at least a quarter century. According to SEIU Wisconsin, 511 nurses voted for the union and 63 voted no, out of 754 eligible voters. The NLRB oversaw the process at the St. Mary's campus of the SSM Health network. The hospital campaigned against unionization, while supporters argued concerns over procedures, staffing and compensation had not received adequate response. SEIU framed the result as part of a broader national trend of healthcare workers seeking a stronger voice to improve care and retention. A dispute over whether 82 charge nurses were eligible to vote remains unresolved, with 66 ballots challenged and not counted; the NLRB will decide eligibility later.