An Ohio nurse with a “spotless” record who spoke out for patient advocacy and unionism won a defamation verdict, and $2 million in damages, against the hospital, Affinity Medical Center of Massillon, Ohio, which illegally fired her and tried to have her nursing license revoked. The nurse, Ann Wayt, was fired in 2012, shortly after Affinity nurses voted to join the National Nurses Organizing Committee-Ohio, an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU).

The Massillon Independent reported that Wayt’s attorney told jurors that the hospital’s actions were meant to send a message to union supporters and damaged Wayt’s reputation in the industry. NNOC/NNU Co-President Malinda Markowitz, RN, praised Wayt for “standing up for herself, her family and her colleagues against the harassment and attacks by a multi-billion dollar corporation on their right to form a union.”