Law360 Covers Hospital Nurses’ Union Vote, Quotes Attorney Ryan Hancock

Nurses at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)’s Magee-Womens Hospital will soon decide if they want union representation. Service Employees International Union affiliate SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania filed a petition in May 2025 to represent registered nurses, including those who serve as charge nurses. The hospital pushed back on this, claiming that some charge nurses function as supervisors and cannot be part of a bargaining unit.

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) regional director Nancy Wilson sided with nursing staff, finding that charge nurses generally do not assume responsibility for the performance of their fellow workers. Most nurses will be permitted to choose or decline union membership. Charge nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit will be permitted to vote subject to challenge, due to a lack of clarity around the supervisory nature of the role.

Willig, Williams & Davidson attorneys Ryan A. Hancock, Michelle Devitt, and Erica Askin represent the nurses’ union. Hancock is quoted in a recent story in Law360, saying the regional director “rightly sided with Magee nurses and shut down UPMC’s baseless arguments, which were a blatant attempt to deny and delay nurses’ freedom to vote.”

He added, “Magee nurses are forming their union so they can have more time with their patients to provide the highest quality care.”

Read the full article online: NLRB Official OKs SEIU Vote For Pittsburgh Hospital Nurses (Subscription is required.)