The majority of the roughly 700 nurses at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh recently voted to unionize with SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, according to the union’s Facebook page.

On Saturday, Aug. 23, ballots were counted following voting the same day and on Aug. 19. Results indicated nurses in favor of unionizing in a 402 to 305 vote, or 57% to 43%.

According to the union, Magee nurses are the first nurse employees of UPMC to successfully form a union.

SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania said with this vote, Magee nurses look forward to joining UPMC at the negotiating table and want to work with nurses in our region to raise standards across the Commonwealth.

Nurses, elected officials, patients and community members are scheduled to gather at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, at Zulema Parklet, across from the hospital at Boulevard of the Allies and Zulema Street, to recognize the vote and call on UPMC to negotiate a contract.