Professional employees at the Billings, Montana VA Health Care Center recently voted overwhelmingly to have NFFE as their exclusive representative. Eighty percent of the voters chose NFFE, closing the chapter on a tumultuous few months which began when NFFE was unexpectedly decertified as the employees’ Union representative due to the wording on a Federal Labor Relations Authority certificate of representation.
Local 1150 President Kevin Mitchell expressed his gratitude to the employees who voted to regain their Union representation.
“Thank you for all your support during this frustrating period,” said Mitchell. “Your support is humbling to us and your commitment remains unwavering.”
During the several months this spring when the Union was decertified in Billings, Mitchell and Secretary-Treasurer Leslie Cartner made sure the employees were kept informed and represented to the extent allowable without a Union certification. They did this work on their own time. Over at the Miles City, Montana VA clinic, which is part of Local 1150 but never lost its Union certification, Steward Jessica Beehler ensured Union representation continued without interruption while the Billings certification issue was being resolved.
Local 1150 and Union Business Representative Gary Johanson will celebrate the election win on Friday, June 15 with a lunchtime pizza party at the Billings clinic.
“This big election victory is an endorsement of the good job the Union has been doing for its members over the years,” said Johanson. “We not only have the former members rejoining the Union, but we have employees who never belonged to the Union joining up.”