INCREDIBLE CNA/NNOC victory in Houston.

wheneveryoucallme · Apr 1, 2008

Well to throw down is kind of like a hoe-down without the dancing. A hoe-down is defined....A square dance or a social gathering at which square dancing takes place. Although, I do think one may have the intent to just throw down but then if unplanned dancing occurs it could be called a "throw-down hoe-down." Oh I don't know but it sounds fun anyway. And those armidillo's are FAST.

RN4MERCY · Apr 1, 2008

Texas girls do like to throw down. Especially in the spirit of protecting our patients, our license, and each other. Actually, I have not had many good reasons to throw down lately...Let's celebrate Ya'll.. yeee ha! Ride em cowgirl. Put on your boots ma and let's go barrel racing! Do ya'll remember that time I chased that armidillo into that cactus burrow? Ya'll was pulling cactus needles out of my fingers all night. Good thing I was surrounded by nurses. Hey maybe the Cali nurses will want to go on one of our armidillo chasing camping trips? What do you think ladies? Yes I am serious.

Absolutely! And, don't forget the men-folk. What a hoot! But, in all seriousness, about the armadillo, I will have to confess that I don't remember that time.:uhoh21: We like to work hard to help organize all our sisters and brothers, and we like to play hard too. CELEBRATE, CELEBRATE, Dance to the music...Shiner Bock, please, and circle the wagons. Everybody in, nobody out! Especially when the Austin Lounge Lizzards are in the house, or Toni Price...whoa, baby!

I'm proud to pay my dues to CNA/NNOC: "A Voice for Nurses, A Vision for Healthcare." The best value for nurses in America. "A union with a pulse," according to Ralph Nader.

http://www.guaranteedhealthcare.org/legislation/hr-676-conyers/united-states-national-health-insurance-act

We enjoy meaningful educational seminars and the benefits of expert organizers, labor reps, top-notch negotiating, administrative, research, and legal support staff. Our democratically elected Board of Directors are all direct care RNs. Read all about it in our Registered Nurse magazine.

http://www.calnurses.org/publications/registered-nurse-magazine/rn_mag_march2007.pdf

:up:Keep your boots on, "...we've got promises to keep, and miles to go before we sleep, and miles to go, before we sleep.*" (No apologies; I used a reasonable facsimile of a verse from, 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.' Thank you, Robert Frost)

ADVOCATE 4 PATIENTS · Apr 1, 2008

Just so all of the Texas RNs know, I am most happy to share my California NNOC/CNA dues with the Texas RNs. An injury to one is truly an injury to all, nurses and patients alike. All RNs across the country need to get on board this train, for it is going all the way, to protect patients and nursing practice. Bedside, direct care RNs, on the move to improve the health of the nation. Let's rock'n'roll....:roll

Thanks, kat nurse advocate for being wise enough to realize that 'dues' are more than just a deduction from our paychecks...that they are spent on activities that will better the working conditions of all nurses and improve the care we are able to deliver! Please, take my money...and give me a voice that is not just heard but responded to!!!

RN4MERCY · Apr 1, 2008

Well to throw down is kind of like a hoe-down without the dancing. A hoe-down is defined....A square dance or a social gathering at which square dancing takes place. Although, I do think one may have the intent to just throw down but then if unplanned dancing occurs it could be called a "throw-down hoe-down." Oh I don't know but it sounds fun anyway. And those armidillo's are FAST.

I like your style; thanks for inviting us along for the ride too! Hospitality demands that we go you one better, and return the favor, so bring your S.K.s for a little electric slide, after we round up the varmits who've highjacked our public health system and put 'em out of business. They've made off with the loot that should be used to care for patients.

Let's head 'em up, and move 'em out...a grassroots fire and a stampede ought to do it. There must be a wood-pit barbeque in hell hot enough to handle the greedy money changers, once we drive 'em over the cliff into the abyss. At least they won't be our problem anymore, or a problem for our patients.

http://www.pnhp.org/facts/single_payer_resources.php

RN4MERCY · Apr 1, 2008

Well to throw down is kind of like a hoe-down without the dancing. A hoe-down is defined....A square dance or a social gathering at which square dancing takes place. Although, I do think one may have the intent to just throw down but then if unplanned dancing occurs it could be called a "throw-down hoe-down." Oh I don't know but it sounds fun anyway. And those armidillo's are FAST.

Very proud of and happy for the CyFair RNs!
Here's hoping the fruits of the victory spread far and wide!

I second that! The seeds of the health care justice, nursing practice, and patient advocacy revolution have fallen on fertile soil in Texas, for sure.:redbeathe

The mother of all those seeds was planted just last year. :up:

http://www.calnurses.org/media-center/in-the-news/2007/february/page.jsp?itemID=29546786

PMHNP10 · Apr 1, 2008

I'm posting this fast, and don't yet have all the details, but here is what I do know:
CNA just won a representation election for the RNs at Cypress Fairbanks Hospital, a part of the Tenet chain in Houston Texas.
Other than a small number of RNs employed by the federal government, this represents the first unionized nurses in the entire state a very tough organizing environment. It is the first major fruits of a three year statewide campaign.
The election was run under an organizing agreement won at the bargaining table by Tenet nurses in California.
Don't yet have numbers or other details, will make a second post when I do. I've met some of these Texas nurses and they are just the greatest. This is only the first of many organizing victories to come in this state.

Outstanding.

I have one huge request for you or anyone else reading this thread who might be an employee (or former employee) of Cy Fair...please list as anonymously as possible any details/conditions that resulted in this desire to unionize--staffing, safety, wages, benefits, respect/treatment by admin/mgmt.

Let's say I'm doing an impromptu longitudinal study and would love to hear the before and after.

allnurses Guide · Apr 3, 2008

Nurses union has plans for Texas

It's only been a few days since the California Nurses Association won its first victory in Texas by organizing 275 registered nurses at Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital, but it's already setting its sights on the future....

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/5670280.html

kat nurse advocate · Apr 3, 2008

If nurses want to help our health system move to the healthy side of access and safety for patients and nurses, we need to unite, as RNs, to move our agenda forward. This is about more than wages and benefits. It is about the health of our country. For our country to be listed #37 in the world, for positive health outcomes is appalling. That is what NNOC is all about.

Nurses union has plans for Texas
It's only been a few days since the California Nurses Association won its first victory in Texas by organizing 275 registered nurses at Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital, but it's already setting its sights on the future....
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/5670280.html

allnurses Guide · Apr 4, 2008

these nurses announced their union last summer. it seems not to be legally recognized but united=union? ??

university hospital rns form patient care advocacy committee - first initiative of the new rn union at uhs
nurses to advocate for urgent patient safety measures, including safe nurse-to-patient ratios and whistle-blower protections
a delegation of registered nurses who work for the bexar county hospital district at university hospital are announcing the first official action of their new rn union, nnoc texas: the formation of a patient care advocacy committee (pcac). the pcac will work to ensure that district policies keep patient care and safety as their central focus.
http://www.calnurses.org/media-center/press-releases/2007/august/page.jsp?itemid=31798273&print=t

forrester · Apr 5, 2008

If any group needs to unionize, it is TENET nurses. They should do it nationwide.

If TENET can afford $450,000 a year for Jeb Bush to sit on their Board, and that is "customary" for a Board member, than screw them.

TENET is the most, or at least one of the most, abusive environments for nurses to work in, unless you just want to make money because there is generally a lot of overtime, since they are shunned by many agency nurses.

You go Texas Nurses, hat's off to you:bowingpur

Wish the rest had that many cajones

allnurses Guide · Apr 23, 2008

Texas Observer

April 18, 2008

...A UNION WINS ONE

The National Nurses Organizing Committee, née the California Nurses Association, broke through an important barrier last month. On March 28, a majority of participating nurses at the Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center voted to let the union negotiate a contract on their behalf, making the Houston facility the first privately owned hospital in the state to unionize.

Cypress Fairbanks is owned by scandal-plagued Tenet Healthcare Corp....

http://www.texasobserver.org/article.php?aid=2737

klbackus · Apr 25, 2008

This week registered nurses at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas voted out the CNA as their union in an election. The decision by Scripps nurses to eject the CNA follows contract negotiations that didn't result in real improvements for nurses or patient care.

In her post on another thread, Sherwood said:

Scripps Health System in San Diego California has five hospitals total and several clinics. Because of California Nurses Association interference and poor contract negotiation, The Encinitas nurses were actually making less per hour than their counterparts at other Scripps facilities. Another fact is that in the previously mentioned CNA press release the union took credit for a lift team that was already in place at the hospital.

This is the second attempt made by Scripps nurses to hold the CNA accountable for improving conditions for nurses at their hospital.

For months, the CNA has been mounting campaigns to persuade SEIU nurses to decertify their union in hospitals in states including California, Ohio, and Nevada.

In March, the CNA sabotaged a three-year effort to win a fair process for 8,300 nurses and other workers at Catholic Healthcare Partners (CHP) hospitals in Ohio to freely choose whether to form a union with SEIU. Just six days before CHP workers were set to vote, CNA organizers came to Ohio to launch a vicious "vote no" campaign that ended in the cancellation of elections.

Maybe they should have been focusing their efforts on their own nurse members rather than wasting their dues dollars to sabotage other nurses.

For more information, visit www.shameoncna.com.