New national nurses union forms

Nurses Union

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You are reading page 3 of New national nurses union forms

wyogypsy, RN

197 Posts

Union or no union, there is still a nursing shortage. You can say that there will be a better nurse/patient ratio - but until I see the union pooping out more nurses, then the ratio is not going to change. If a unit has X amount of nurses and X amount of patients, then that is the ratio, union or not.

Then there are the uninsured, underinsured, charity cases, illegals, and low Medicare reimbursement and then tell the hospitals they have to pay us more. Hmmmm, am I missing something? Does having a nurses' union increase the income to the hospitals so they can pay us more? I don't know about where you live, but where I live we only have small local hospitals that are barely hanging on..........

elkpark

14,633 Posts

Union or no union, there is still a nursing shortage. You can say that there will be a better nurse/patient ratio - but until I see the union pooping out more nurses, then the ratio is not going to change. If a unit has X amount of nurses and X amount of patients, then that is the ratio, union or not.

Then there are the uninsured, underinsured, charity cases, illegals, and low Medicare reimbursement and then tell the hospitals they have to pay us more. Hmmmm, am I missing something? Does having a nurses' union increase the income to the hospitals so they can pay us more? I don't know about where you live, but where I live we only have small local hospitals that are barely hanging on..........

I can't believe there are still people (nurses, even!) talking about a nursing "shortage" ...

wyogypsy, RN

197 Posts

@elkpark - and why is that? I read here on the forums about new grads who can't find jobs; yet that is certainly not the case where I live. Here they hire any nurse that walks in the door - and that is at almost all facilities in this state. So for any of you that can't find a job because you are a new grad or there is 'not' a nursing shortage, come to Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada..........the list goes on.

RN4MERCY

328 Posts

Specializes in ICU/CCU/TRAUMA/ECMO/BURN/PACU/.
I hope the new union does more of addressing healthcare reform and less of collecting member dues.

RNnbakes, we're proud to pay our dues! Our legislative and organizing victories benefit all nurses and patients. We have a research department and a communication team to expose the fact that congressmen and senators are taking huge contributions from big insurance, big PhRMa, and the hospital industry. We're working to hold government accountable and fighting to keep the Congress from passing legislation that will mean windfall profits for the insurance industry; current versions of so-called "reform" legislation will do nothing to control costs, improve access for millions who need it, and improve health outcomes. Only a single payer national health plan will achieve all the goals that the president set forth during his campaign.

We have a legal team, labor reps, expert administrative and support staff and organizers to help intelligent, conscientious nurses from all across our great country come together to build a powerful social advocacy movement. We're working to realize our vision for a more humane health care system with equal access to excellent medical care and health promotion services for all. It's a system that includes safe nurse to patient ratios, safe working conditions, whistleblower protection, representation and legislation to protect the patient and professional advocacy rights of nurses.

duke1010

8 Posts

RNnbakes, we're proud to pay our dues! Our legislative and organizing victories benefit all nurses and patients. We have a research department and a communication team to expose the fact that congressmen and senators are taking huge contributions from big insurance, big PhRMa, and the hospital industry. We're working to hold government accountable and fighting to keep the Congress from passing legislation that will mean windfall profits for the insurance industry; current versions of so-called "reform" legislation will do nothing to control costs, improve access for millions who need it, and improve health outcomes. Only a single payer national health plan will achieve all the goals that the president set forth during his campaign.

We have a legal team, labor reps, expert administrative and support staff and organizers to help intelligent, conscientious nurses from all across our great country come together to build a powerful social advocacy movement. We're working to realize our vision for a more humane health care system with equal access to excellent medical care and health promotion services for all. It's a system that includes safe nurse to patient ratios, safe working conditions, whistleblower protection, representation and legislation to protect the patient and professional advocacy rights of nurses.

Yeah, to hell with the hospital that pays you $40 an hour and lets you work 3 days a week. We need to have the union come in and change that (sarcasm). While taking your dues and giving them to crooked politicians.

allnurses Guide

herring_RN, ASN, BSN

3,651 Posts

Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

The only reason a person is admitted to a hospital is because they need nursing care.

Registered nurses are responsible for that nursing care therefore they must have control over their practice. That includes safe staffing.

So YES! I'm proud to pay dues to an organization that places patient care #1.

Nurses working conditions #2.

jmckeith

29 Posts

Specializes in Hospice.
RNnbakes, we're proud to pay our dues! Our legislative and organizing victories benefit all nurses and patients. We have a research department and a communication team to expose the fact that congressmen and senators are taking huge contributions from big insurance, big PhRMa, and the hospital industry. We're working to hold government accountable and fighting to keep the Congress from passing legislation that will mean windfall profits for the insurance industry; current versions of so-called "reform" legislation will do nothing to control costs, improve access for millions who need it, and improve health outcomes. Only a single payer national health plan will achieve all the goals that the president set forth during his campaign.

We have a legal team, labor reps, expert administrative and support staff and organizers to help intelligent, conscientious nurses from all across our great country come together to build a powerful social advocacy movement. We're working to realize our vision for a more humane health care system with equal access to excellent medical care and health promotion services for all. It's a system that includes safe nurse to patient ratios, safe working conditions, whistleblower protection, representation and legislation to protect the patient and professional advocacy rights of nurses.

You say it in a nutshell. Problem is, RN's, people in general, are scared of change. I don't know what it will take to wake this country up and get fed up with the status quo. As a single payer nation, all the incentives for profit leechs is gone and dollars really go to health care. If there are problems with this sytem after activated, then lets by God fix them! At least let us try to do something different, bold, and about dang time! All of us need to take control of our own and our childrens destiny and DO something. As for unions for nursing, why not? Charters can also be changed and union leaders voted out. Again, try something, don't be scared to make a change. Doing nothing means your hiding, hoping it get better without you.

wyogypsy, RN

197 Posts

I don't mind change, and though I am not pro-union, I am not anti-union either. We all want safer staffing - but having a union does not automatically 'create' more nurses - so where are you going to get the additional nurses for safe staffing? Or are we going to have to deny admission to patients for non-emergent procedures and have a waiting list and call them when census is low and we have 'safe' staffing? I am not trying to be sarcastic but realistic, and would welcome any comments about how they are going to provide safe staffing.

With all due respect, WHEN you are an RN "working in the trenches" continually short staffed (compromising pt safety), you may feel differently.

Best Regards,

Diane, RN

You said it, sister!

I don't mind change, and though I am not pro-union, I am not anti-union either. We all want safer staffing - but having a union does not automatically 'create' more nurses - so where are you going to get the additional nurses for safe staffing? Or are we going to have to deny admission to patients for non-emergent procedures and have a waiting list and call them when census is low and we have 'safe' staffing? I am not trying to be sarcastic but realistic, and would welcome any comments about how they are going to provide safe staffing.

Remember when Arnold Scwartzenegger and the California Hospital Assoc were crying that mandated, safe nurse to pt ratios in CA would make the so-called nursing shortage even worse and even cause hospitals to close?

Well, just the opposite happened. California is now flooded with nurses. There are many threads right here on allnurses from both new grads and experienced nurses in CA who can't find work.

As a traveler, I used to get lots of offers to go to CA, but no more. My recruiter tells me that since the CA ratios were enacted, many nurses who left the bed-side have been lured back- and nurses have even moved to CA just because of the ratios. The result is that there is no longer a "nursing shortage" in CA.

Facilities with good staffing levels, good working conditions, and those with mandated ratios have no problem finding nurses who are willing to work.

"If you mandate ratios, they will come."

Music in My Heart

1 Article; 4,109 Posts

Specializes in being a Credible Source.

I'll admit it -- I look at the value of a nursing union in terms of what it can do for me...

At the local union hospitals, their contracts don't allow for call-offs. You work what your full-time schedule and that's that. If the census is down, you come to work and do other things. You don't get called off.

At the local union hospitals, the nurses received defined-benefit pension plans, not some joke of a 401(k) in which the company tosses you three thousand dollars a years and then you still pay absurd fees to the investment managers.

At the local union hospitals, the staffing ratio is set by contract - and in the case of one major hospital, at levels lower than the CA-mandated ratios.

At the union hospitals, free CEUs abound.

At the union hospitals, you can't be terminated just for speaking up. As one person told me recently, "I'm too opinionated and outspoken to survive in a private hospital."

Specializes in ER, L&D, ICU, LTC, HH.

I am curious how you get one started at the Hospital you work at. People are so scared to even talk about it.

Willow

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