Outrage: Finley nurse fired for appearing in union ad

Outrage: Finley nurse fired for appearing in union ad

From Ice T's Freedom Of Speech Watch What You Say Department:

The vice president of a nurses union was fired Wednesday by Finley Hospital, one day after the union announced plans to strike next month.

Alice Weick, 55, fought back tears as she told reporters that her 30-year career at the hospital ended because she participated in a radio advertisement sponsored by the Service Employees International Union Local 199.

The union, which represents more than 300 nurses at the Dubuque hospital, had been in contract negotiations since March and issued a strike notice Tuesday night as the nurses’ contract expired.

“It was not about my nursing skills that I was fired,” Weick said at a press conference at union headquarters in Dubuque. “It was not about what I did for my patients. It was all about because I chose to speak my concern.”

In the ad, Weick claims that Finley “isn’t always putting patients first.” She also encourages listeners to call Finley executives and show their support for the nurses.

Weick said she was exercising her right to speak publicly about issues that affect Finley’s patients, but “apparently Finley does not think I can.”

Matt Glasson, the union’s legal counsel, said Weick had the right to participate in the ad under the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, which prohibits employers from firing employees for gathering or discussing workplace issues with co-workers.

He said the union will soon file an unfair labor practice charge against the hospital.

“I’ve been representing unions for over 25 years and, in my experience, this is one of the most blatant and deliberate violations of the law that I’ve seen,” Glasson said.

Finley officials refused to comment on Weick’s firing, instead issuing a three-sentence statement on Wednesday: “Employee discipline or termination is confidential information.”

The statement also says that the matter leading to the termination “was fully investigated prior to making a termination decision.”

Weick said the “investigation” lasted about an hour and began when she was called into the office of Kathy Ripple, Finley’s vice president of nursing services.

Ripple played a recording of the ad for Weick and asked the nurse if she still believed in what she said. After answering yes, Weick was dismissed from the office and learned 40 minutes later she was fired, Weick said.

“I felt very betrayed,” said Weick, who was taken to clean out her locker and escorted from the premises.