Ballots by the nurses at the largest health system in Michigan were counted in the National Labor Relations Board election, said a message sent out.

Kevin Moore, president of Joint Council 43, which represents all Teamsters in Michigan, expressed confidence last month that the nurses would vote overwhelmingly to join the union. “It’s about rights, dignity and proper pay,” he said at the time. “They’re exhausted. They can’t even take lunch or breaks. They’re eating on the run.”

Among 9,775 eligible voters, 4,958 voted in favor of unionizing. There were 2,957 votes against. The union will represent nurses at nine locations.

Tallying begins Friday. The nurses submitted a petition for a 9,618-member bargaining unit. If approved, it would represent nurses at 9 hospitals.

This historic election of more than 9,600 nurses at nine different hospitals across Southeastern Michigan is one of the largest National Labor Relations Board elections in more than 20 years.

Unless one of the parties objects to the election, certification will occur after five business days, according to the National Labor Relations Board.