How to bring in a nurses union in a non union state?

Nurses Union

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I relocated to NC a few years ago from up north, and while I love it here, I am amazed and appalled by what some of these admins. can get away with in these hospitals. I have been reminded time and again that this is a "right to work" state and pretty much anything can be a reason to be terminated. I have witnessed peers that were "too verbal" be targeted and later fired for seemingly insignificant things. We have had our schedules changed multiple times without any input or regard from the nurses (and of course reminded if we don't like it we could go else where), turnover rate is high, (the Rn with the most seniority on my unit has only been there about 3 years) and staffing ratio is ridiculous, I could go on and on. Having come from a state with a union to fight for us nurses, I would love any and all input from anybody who knows anything about NC and why we have no unions here, as well as any states that have started there own unions. Can I legally be fired if I try to organize a union in my hospital? Could really use some input and guidance here. I love what I do, and I love my pts, I just wish we had a voice and were treated like professionals. :crying2:

Specializes in Psych , Peds ,Nicu.

If you have a good employer , who works with you then you have no need for a union , but even in DFW all is not Hunky Dory , all too often nurses comment on threads re. poor staff / admin relationships , poor ratios , inability to take breaks ( even bathroom breaks )etc..Yet those who oppose unions make conflicting statements ie. you can't stand up for yourself ?!( whats wrong with you being the underlying message there ) or if you can't bring about change look for another employer ( thats OK if there is an alternate employer ).

Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
the less nursing unions, the better.

honestly, they just make the relationship between nurses and management worse. every tiny insignificant thing becomes a battle.

Yeah, I am pretty gol-durned fed up with my union battling over tiny insignificant things like pension, health coverage, salary, staffing,....

I wish they would find something better to do with the dues I pay.

Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
or you could speak with management yourself and openly discuss issues in a rational manner. And then if your needs aren't being met you could find a different job.

or maybe that's just what people in all other professions do.

Unions can also openly discuss issues with management in a rational manner, with the added factor that if needs are not met the employer can try to find hundreds of other employees. This gives more encouragement for management to discuss issues in good faith as opposed to telling a lone RN "Tough luck if you don't like it you can leave."

@Chico David, you seem pretty knowledgeable, and I appreciate your input, I have another question. My hospital has been bought out by UHS, a big fortune 500 company. They have multiple hospitals all over the country, some of which are unionized, does that in itself make it any easier to try and introduce a union here? I have already reached out to NNU, I sent an email to them for some guidance, still awaiting a reply, do you have personal experience with them?

@Chico David, you seem pretty knowledgeable, and I appreciate your input, I have another question. My hospital has been bought out by UHS, a big fortune 500 company. They have multiple hospitals all over the country, some of which are unionized, does that in itself make it any easier to try and introduce a union here? I have already reached out to NNU, I sent an email to them for some guidance, still awaiting a reply, do you have personal experience with them?

I've quite a lot of experience with NNU - the union I belong to directly is one of the constituent unions that makes up NNU. It's an organization I feel very good about. But, as I said, the nature of organizing is strategic. NNU has recently gone through a big series of representation elections in Texas and Florida and is now in the process of the fight for a first contract at all those hospitals. That takes a lot of time and energy, which means fewer people and resources available for starting new campaigns. And it's impractical to organize one hospital in a region unless you have a shot at organizing others in the same area - trying to do a good job of supporting a contract in a single isolated bargaining unit is just too hard.

I know they get a lot of contact from people interested in organizing. Most of them it's not practical to help, but someone ought to at least get back to you, ideally.

As to the other question about other hospitals in the chain being organized: It can help, but only if the same union that represents those hospitals wants to come to your area and they are a union you want to be involved with - they aren't all created equal. Most of those hospitals in Texas and Florida belong to a big chain. We already represented a hospital in California from that chain. When those nurses in California were bargaining a new contract they used the leverage they had there to get the chain to give us an organizing agreement - meaning a fairer, less coercive set of procedures for the elections - to organize some of their other hospitals. That can be very helpful - but only if whatever union represents those other hospitals is a strong organizing union and wants to come to your area.

No simple and quick answers for you, I'm afraid

Just so you know...that is illegal. You have the right to get paid for the hours you work. The company illegally deducting pay for breaks not taken is illegal. Our hospital now forces us to take a break due to being sued recently for this problem. If you have a problem, contact your state workforce commission.

I havhe complained to management about it several times and was told too bad. I am afraid of retailiation if I tell the state, but I am already looking for another job. I will tell the state when I leave, why I left so the other coworkers may get some relief.

or you could speak with management yourself and openly discuss issues in a rational manner. And then if your needs aren't being met you could find a different job.

or maybe that's just what people in all other professions do.

I tried speaking to management, they do not care. Jobs are not easy to come by for those of us who are recent graduates. All the company cares about is making more money for themselves, you know who suffers? The patients. The staff as well, but really it has a huge effect on patient care. Trust me when I say you do not want a nurse on a 16 hour shift taking care of your mom. Too tired to think straight.

I tried speaking to management, they do not care. Jobs are not easy to come by for those of us who are recent graduates. All the company cares about is making more money for themselves, you know who suffers? The patients. The staff as well, but really it has a huge effect on patient care. Trust me when I say you do not want a nurse on a 16 hour shift taking care of your mom. Too tired to think straight.

And there, in a nutshell, you have the answer to all the folks who say "I don't need a union, I can speak up for myself". Yes, you can, as long as nurses are in short supply and you don't say anything management doesn't really mind hearing. Once you say something that really upsets them - like that they are breaking the law - you're gone. And, in times like this when jobs are tight, it doesn't take much to be gone.

Unions can also openly discuss issues with management in a rational manner, with the added factor that if needs are not met the employer can try to find hundreds of other employees. This gives more encouragement for management to discuss issues in good faith as opposed to telling a lone RN "Tough luck if you don't like it you can leave."

I don't know what fantasyland unions you've been working with, but all the nursing unions I have encountered were never rational in the slightest. Nothing but threatening and trying to start battles between nurses and management.

Yes, the economy is bad and nurses are not in short supply at the moment, but that's true of every field right now.

Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.
I don't know what fantasyland unions you've been working with, but all the nursing unions I have encountered were never rational in the slightest. Nothing but threatening and trying to start battles between nurses and management.

Well, that's kind of harsh, Guess I'm living in a "fantasyland" too because our union never initiates, promotes or supports "battles" with management. Our contract negotiations go smoothly even if we have to make concessions.

Sorry you've had such negative experiences but just because that's your reality doesn't mean it translates across all nursing unions.

Specializes in Psych , Peds ,Nicu.
I don't know what fantasyland unions you've been working with, but all the nursing unions I have encountered were never rational in the slightest. Nothing but threatening and trying to start battles between nurses and management.

Yes, the economy is bad and nurses are not in short supply at the moment, but that's true of every field right now.

I don't know what fantasyland managment you've worked with , but it is they who set the tone of relations between employer and employee . If those relationships were good , NO union would be voted in by the majority of a facility . When a union has been voted in I would hope they represent me to the best of their abilities , and yes where management is not used to a dissenting voice being heard , managment will be combative and obstructive ( no bully likes to have those who they torment [ the employees] stand up to them[ by becoming unionized ] ).

I live in Florida, a right to work state, and the red-led NNU have been organizing the HCA hospitals here. In some ways I agree that we need some muscle to avoid being left out in the cold on wages and working conditions, but empowering organizations which at their core are dedicated to the destruction of our Constitution and capitalist economic system is not the way to go. (Ask any Cambodian). There are plenty of places for nurses to work in N.C., so if you don't like the working conditions, make that known by voting with your feet. And make sure that they get 'the message" at your exit interview.

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