St. Pancras Medical Center, an acute-care hospital, issued a memorandum prohibiting its nursing and patient care employees from wearing buttons which read “RNs Organized to Promote Patient Care.”

The buttons were an effort to show support for the nurses’ union in contract negotiations with the hospital. The hospital directed the employees not to wear any buttons in any areas of the hospital where they might encounter patients or patients’ family members. The hospital claimed that wearing the buttons could cause “unease and worry among patients and their families,” and disturb the tranquil hospital atmosphere that is necessary for successful patient care. The union feels that the rule is overly restrictive, and files an unfair labor practice complaint with the NLRB. Under which section of the NLRA should the union file its complaint? Is the rule valid, or does it violate the NLRA? Why?