Deaconness Spokane RN's Oust Union

Well folks, here is the topper of it all. The nurses at Deaconness Medical Center here in Spokane, JUST VOTED OUT SEIU. Why did they do that? Because the union made a beef about short staffing to the news. This is the hospital, just a few short years ago, that was in such bad financial straits, that they laid off workers, and imposed at 9% PAY CUT for the entire hospital. Except, of course, the few departments that were under union contracts. These "Martyr Mary Nurses" were the same that for YEARS, refused to unionize. It was after the pay cut, and the exodus of nurses and other staff, that the employees had had enough, and all unionzed. The nurses still only grudgingly unionzed.

They have still not gotten back to the pay level they were at before the paycut. And their biggest beef with the union was that they union made the hospital look bad on the news, and actually told the public that their lives were in danger because of short staffing. THAT is why the nurses voted out the union, and have decided to go without union representation. Only the nurses voted out the union. All the other departments remained unionized.

The kicker is, Empire Health is being bought out by the "for profit", "Community Health Systems". From the South, of course. Does anyone really think that these nurses know what they are doing?

I can hear it now. Layoffs. Unfair labor disputes. Deaconness was not a workers paradise in the best of times. Favoritism was rampant, Unqualified individuals put in positions of authority. When I worked there 15 years ago, employees were only given raises EVERY THREE YEARS!! Benefits were equally pitiful and stingy. They were paying me, a nurse with 15 year experience, only 2 dollars an hour more than a new grad.

I will sit and watch the drama unfold over the next couple of years. Stupid is as Stupid does.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, Washington