CareFlight nurses, medics at Miami Valley Hospital looking to form union for safety

DAYTON — The hard landing of a CareFlight helicopter in July 2022 has prompted the medical personnel who ride in those sophisticated air ambulances to start the process of forming a union they say will protect them when they are involved in such incidents.

>> SPECIAL REPORT: How to protect your ride as car thefts skyrocket

The helicopter -- one of four in the Premier Health fleet in addition to five mobile units -- was headed to a fatal car accident in Butler County when investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board said the bird hit wires and fell 30 to 50 feet to the ground.

According to the NTSB’s newly released final report on the incident, the pilot was descending when the helicopter hit one high-voltage wire and made a hard landing. The pilot and two crew members suffered minor injuries.

Firefighters on scene warned the CareFlight pilot about the wires, the NTSB report found, but the pilot said he could not see them.

Air Methods, which operates CareFlight helicopters, partners with NTSB investigators to identify causal factors and develop corrective actions that will improve overall safety. The purpose of Air Methods’ safety program “is to prevent accidents like this from ever occurring,” according to a statement on behalf of Air Methods.

“We are committed to ensuring that the lessons learned from this event will help us avoid future accidents,” the Air Methods statement said.

According to the CareFlight Air & Mobile Association website, “because an injury to one is an injury to all, we seek stronger individual and family support in the event of death, disability, or illness. When asked directly, leadership has been unable to provide a single document showing that CareFlight staff is covered in the event of an aircraft crash.”

Premier Health confirmed that the Ohio Nurses Association filed a representation petition with the National Labor Relations Board, seeking to represent employees in the positions of all CareFlight registered nurses employed at all Miami Valley CareFlight locations and all CareFlight medics employed at all Miami Valley CareFlight locations.

The CareFlight fleet carries more than 70 male and female medical personnel.

“Our representatives will work with the NLRB as they process the petition,” the statement from Premier said.

“We understand that this will include a review of the role groups in the petition, the resolution of any related issues, and the scheduling of a secret ballot election. In that election, our employees will have the opportunity to vote on whether they would like to be represented for purpose of collective bargaining by the ONA.

“We remain committed to providing our employees with the education, mentorship, leadership, and resources needed to be exceptional caregivers, and we believe there are important reasons to continue to work directly with our employees instead of through collective bargaining.

“Accordingly, we support our employees’ federally protected right to choose whether or not they wish to be represented by the ONA through the secret ballot election that will be conducted by the NLRB.”

The ONA, in Hilliard, Ohio, issued the following statement Thursday afternoon:.

“The CareFlight nurses and paramedics are united in their journey to unionize with the Ohio Nurses Association,” Rick Lucas, BSN, RN, CCRN, ONA president and executive director said in a prepared statement.

“This union is more than a collective effort; it’s a dynamic platform, empowering nurses and health professionals to assert concerns and ensuring their voices resonate with strength and influence — not only at the bargaining table but also at the bedside,” Lucas said.

The vote whether to join with the ONA, for the purpose of forming a union, is expected to occur in early March.

©2024 Cox Media Group