Security guards could unionize at St. Luke’s Warren

In response to recent department cuts, security officers at the Warren Campus of St. Luke’s Hospital are considering joining a union.

At the end of March, the guards will hold an election to determine if they will join the union of the Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America – and have their own bargaining unit. The SPFPA filed a petition Feb. 14 with the National Labor Relations Board to represent the guards.

The hospital in Phillipsburg, N.J., two years ago hired a new security administrator and is now cutting full-time and part-time security officers' hours, assigning one officer to duty per shift instead of the usual two officers, according to the SPFPA.

"The hospital recognizes that the security officers have the right, under the National Labor Relations Act, to join or refrain from joining a union," said Scott Wolfe, president of St. Luke's Warren campus. "We are extremely proud of our workforce at St. Luke's Warren Campus and all that we have achieved over the past several years."

St. Luke's University Health Network merged in 2012 with Warren Hospital; the network also has locations in Allentown, Bethlehem, Coaldale and Quakertown.

"In light of the rules and regulations that govern this process, we will have no further comment at this time," Wolfe said.