**Registered Nurses at St. Joseph Regional Hospitals Vote to Unionize**
Registered nurses (RNs) across five St. Joseph Health system hospitals in Texas—Bryan, College Station, Navasota, Madisonville, and Caldwell—have voted to unionize under the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU). The December 9–10, 2025 election, overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), resulted in a 326–272 decision in favor of unionization, with 40 challenged ballots and one voided vote. A total of 781 nurses were eligible to participate.
The vote applies to full-time, part-time, and per diem RNs in various roles, including clinical educators, flight nurses, and specialty care coordinators. This marks the 33rd hospital under CommonSpirit Health, St. Joseph’s parent company, to join NNOC/NNU, which already represents over 17,000 nurses across the system.
Nurses cited patient safety, staffing concerns, and retention challenges as key reasons for unionizing. Tara Cassell, an RN in labor and delivery, stated that the decision was driven by a need to advocate for better patient care and ensure nurses’ voices are heard in decision-making. Katie Oberhelman, a medical unit RN, emphasized the importance of safe staffing levels and protections against workplace violence.
CommonSpirit Health, one of the largest Catholic healthcare systems in the U.S., reported $1.1 billion in profits last year, with its former and current CEOs earning a combined $36.6 million in 2024. Nurses argue that the system has the resources to address their concerns but has prioritized profits over patient care.
The hospital issued a statement acknowledging the preliminary results, expressing gratitude to its nurses, and reaffirming its commitment to patient-centered care. The NLRB will now certify the vote, after which nurses will elect a bargaining team to negotiate their first contract. NNOC/NNU also represents nurses at three other Texas hospitals, including Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, which ratified its first union contract last year.
Source: https://wtaw.com/brazos-countys-emergency-alert-notification-system-is-dealing-with-a-data-breach/
St. Joseph Health cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/st-joseph-health-system
"id": "ST-1765583985",
"linkid": "st-joseph-health-system",
"type": "Vulnerability",
"date": "12/2025",
"severity": "25",
"impact": "1",
"explanation": "Attack without any consequences"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'More than 700 registered nurses',
'industry': 'Hospital/Healthcare System',
'location': 'Bryan, College Station, Navasota, '
'Madisonville, Caldwell, Texas, USA',
'name': 'St. Joseph Regional Hospital',
'size': '316-bed facility',
'type': 'Healthcare'}],
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2025-12-11',
'description': 'Registered nurses at St. Joseph Health system hospitals voted '
'to unionize with a vote of 326 to 272 out of 781 eligible '
'voters. The vote included 40 challenged ballots and one '
'voided ballot. The unionization applies to full-time, regular '
'part-time, and per diem registered nurses across multiple St. '
'Joseph hospitals. The National Nurses Organizing '
'Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU) will represent '
'the nurses, who cited concerns over patient safety, staffing, '
'and decision-making in patient care.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'Potential positive impact due to '
'improved patient care and nurse '
'advocacy',
'operational_impact': 'Potential improvements in patient care, '
'staffing, and nurse retention'},
'investigation_status': 'Completed (vote results published)',
'lessons_learned': 'Nurses emphasized the importance of having a say in '
'patient care decisions, staffing, and '
'recruitment/retention of experienced nurses to improve '
'patient safety.',
'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': 'Unionization to advocate '
'for better staffing, '
'patient care policies, and '
'workplace safety measures.',
'root_causes': 'Nurses cited concerns over patient '
'safety, staffing, and lack of '
'decision-making influence in '
'patient care.'},
'recommendations': 'Negotiate for safe staffing, safeguards against workplace '
'violence, and prioritize patient care over profits in '
'contract bargaining.',
'references': [{'date_accessed': '2025-12-12',
'source': 'National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)',
'url': 'https://www.nlrb.gov'},
{'date_accessed': '2025-12-11',
'source': 'Texas AFL-CIO News Release'},
{'date_accessed': '2025-12-11',
'source': 'St. Joseph Health Statement'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'regulatory_notifications': 'NLRB conducted the '
'election and published '
'results'},
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Statements released by St. Joseph '
'Health and Texas AFL-CIO'},
'stakeholder_advisories': 'Nurses will elect a bargaining team and prepare to '
'negotiate their first contract with NNOC/NNU.',
'title': 'Unionization Vote by Registered Nurses at St. Joseph Regional '
'Hospitals',
'type': 'Labor Unionization'}