Mercy employees originally were set to vote on the matter more than two years ago, but the vote was postponed.
“We suspended those elections ... there were problems that resulted in us having to put those elections on hold,” said SEIU spokeswoman Joyce Moscato.
Pete Gemmer, Mercy spokesman, said today’s vote “is a continuation of a process that started in 2008.”
In a unique agreement, both Mercy and SEIU agreed to let employees make the decision without the influence of campaigns.
“It’s an agreement that we reached on a process that guaranteed employees can make a choice without pressure or attention that an organized campaign receives,” Moscato said.
Avoiding disruptions to patient care also was a contributing factor in the agreement.
“Some union elections can be distracting, and we want our staff to be focused on providing great patient care,” Gemmer said.
Besides Fairfield, the four other Mercy hospitals in the area impacted by the vote include Anderson, Clermont, Mount Airy and Western Hills, Gemmer said.
Votes will be tallied Friday, with results expected to be determined by the afternoon.
“We support our employees’ right to choose. What we’re focused on is remaining committed to providing high quality care to patients and senior living residents,” Gemmer said.
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