Until the passage of a recent amendment by Congress, nonprofit hospitals were excluded from coverage by the National Labor Relations (Wagner) Act (NLRA), which had established as the national policy the right of workers in most industries affecting interstate commerce to organize themselves into unions. Such exclusion from NLRA jurisdiction primarily affected the unskilled nonprofit hospital employees. such as general aides, orderlies, porters. nursing aides, housekeeping and maintenance personnel as opposed to professional and technical hospital employees.When there were indications that the nonprofit hospital exemption was being reevaluated. numerous arguments in favor of its retention were advanced by its proponents.First, it has been contended that unions tend to break down discipline and that once unionized, employees may be less willing to give immediate obedience to orders.
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