AFT Union Charges L+M ‘Segregates Workers’ at Stonington Site

By Ellyn Santiago.

The management of Lawrence & Memorial Hospital have been segregating union and non-union workers at its Stonington site, L+M Physicians, AFT Connecticut charges.      

According to a statement issued by AFT, “workers from the Lawrence & Memorial Physician Association (LMPA) were purposefully separated from union workers at the site when management erected a wall to separate the workers.”

The union which represents healthcare, public and education workers alleges workers were also given separate break rooms and entrances.

“L&M has, as recent as this week, constructed a door met to further separate and segregate LMPA workers from their union counterparts,” a statement from AFT reads.

“It is unbelievable the lengths management will go to keep workers from unionizing,” said Stephanie Johnson, president of L&M LPN/Tech Union Local 5051. “Segregating the workers is insulting and illegal.”



L&M declined to comment on the charges.

AFT says “an additional two charges have been filed related to the Union’s allegation that the Hospital has threaten relocation of Unionized employees, office closure, surveillance and/or creating the impression of surveillance, threatening employees with loss of pay and benefits if they join a Union.”

A majority of workers at Lawrence & Memorial Physician Association (LMPA) have signed cards stating they want to join the existing union, the union maintains, though Patch was unable to confirm that number or whether or not it represents a majority.

The AFT statement goes on to read, “The hospital’s outrageous violations of the law could result in the Labor Board issuing a bargaining order.  When the labor board feels that the law has been violated to the extent that any election process would be contaminated by the actions of one of the parties.  


AFT Connecticut has filed another unfair labor practice charge citing further illegal activities meant to intimidate LMPA workers from exercising their legal right to join the Union.

A labor board ruling is expected.  

Click here for a copy of the charges against L&M filed with the labor board.