Hospital is filing ch 11 bankrupcy what to expect?

1 Hey all, wondering if you have any experience with your hospital filing for bankrupcy.

Ours is, and we were told that in a few months (if bought out) we'd have to reapply for our jobs.

Any experiences you'd like to share?
I have worked for a hospital that filed Chapter 11 and has been bought out....we didn't have to reapply....out of curiosity...are you union?

Yes, have been unionized since September.

I have worked for 2 different hospitals that went bankrupt; I did not have to reapply for a job. However, both times, the hospitals had already had lay-offs due to the financial situation, before we were bought out by another company. (Incidentally, it took years to get my retirement money back from hospital #1. Ended up having a class action lawsuit, then appealing that, so by the time I got my money, it was a whole lot less than it should have been.)

When I read about bankruptcy flings, I wonder about unionization status also. I'm guessing that union benefit programs are more costly to provide in an industry whose bottom line IS the bottom line. I'd be interested to know is OP's facility is in a corporate chain with a sister facility nearby and if that place was unionGood way to consolidate costs & staff. And UNION BUST. And if employess have to reapply, it's a good way for admin to weed out unwanted, troublesome and/or high maintenance employees.

Ahh.....interesting.....Under Chapter 11 the union will be disbanded....all employes are "dismissed" and must reapply. This is a legal way to get rid of the union. You will have to reorganize and revote...what to you want to bet the Union organizers won't be rehired.11 U.S.C. 1113, “Rejection of Collective Bargaining Agreements,” codifies under what circumstances collective bargaining agreements may be rejected in a Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. When a company seeks to reject or modify a collective bargaining agreement under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, Bankruptcy Code 1113, entitled Rejection of Collective Bargaining Agreements, clarifies the circumstances under which such agreements may be rejected. Section 1113(b) and (c) generally require the following steps:The debtor must make a proposal to the union to modify the collective bargaining agreement anytime after filing a petition and before an application seeking rejection of the agreement.The proposal must be based on the most complete and reliable information available at the time of the proposal.The proposed modifications in employees' benefits and protections are those necessary to permit the reorganization of the debtor.The proposed modifications must assure that all creditors, the debtor and all of the affected parties are treated fairly and equitably.The debtor must provide the union with such relevant information as is necessary to evaluate the proposal.The debtor must meet at reasonable times with the union between the time of the making of the proposal and the hearing on the application to reject the collective bargaining agreement.The debtor must confer in good faith with the union in attempting to reach mutually satisfactory modifications of the agreement.The union must have refused to accept the debtor's proposal without good cause. The balance of equities clearly favors the rejection of the collective bargaining agreement.

so being in a union puts your job at risk? Why pay the dues then?

There's no nearby sister (pun intended) hospital but it is a catholic hospital.How will they know who to 'not rehire'? Certainly not on who voted for the union (that was confidential as far as I remember)It's ironic though, because I was looking at the union website and there were employees wearing the union t-shirts, taking pictures, etc.This facility is basically surrounded by a group / borderline monopolizing organization, which has nearly every other hospital in the county in its system. This group has already put in a bid for the assets of the facility.Rumor has it that some other catholic hospital may also bid (they have their hands in the psychiatric dept already).The hospital was losing a few million per week from what I heard.It seems like the future is not in the hands of the administration, but the bankruptcy court.

Quote from classicdameso being in a union puts your job at risk? Why pay the dues then?

Never have been in a union working environment; jury is still out on that.But I wondered about the timing too- just went union in September and bust in December.If you have a good lawyer, you can find a loophole in almost everything!

Quote from blackvans1234There's no nearby sister (pun intended) hospital but it is a catholic hospital.How will they know who to 'not rehire'? Certainly not on who voted for the union (that was confidential as far as I remember)It's ironic though, because I was looking at the union website and there were employees wearing the union t-shirts, taking pictures, etc.This facility is basically surrounded by a group / borderline monopolizing organization, which has nearly every other hospital in the county in its system. This group has already put in a bid for the assets of the facility.Rumor has it that some other catholic hospital may also bid (they have their hands in the psychiatric dept already).The hospital was losing a few million per week from what I heard.It seems like the future is not in the hands of the administration, but the bankruptcy court.