SEIU raid on CNA NNOC nurses in Chicago

I agree that the biggest loser in this issue is the ununionized nurses. I have ask both the CNA and SEIU to stop their fight against each other and turn their attention to giving a voice back to the worker. For many nurses in non union facilities this infighting has worked to the advantage of the administartions. It feeds the myth that all unions are out to build their membership for the sake of making money from dues. It needs to stop and the SEIU needs to back off but with that said the CNA and NNOC spends alot of time and money not just defending itself but attacking the SEIU and like I said and you stated this hurts us all.

For the sake of the worker we need to find a way to get along.

CNA raided Cook County RN's in 2005 from INA due to poor contract in 2003 and not representing nurses with unit based issues.

RN's need to remember THEY are the union and need to be involved to solve own problems/issues.


Jul 4, 2005: Modern Healthcare: Laboring for union nurses -

Raids on members causing high fever in nurse unions - Archives ...

What I thought was funny was the examples in the article about why nurses need unions - 30 min unpaid lunch for a 12 hr shift, $300/mo insurance, using 24 hr vacation time before you can use sick time.

That sounds like nearly every hospital I've worked in. Particularly the TX hospitals. If they think that those examples are bad, they need to come on down to TX and see just how much worse things can really get!

Thanks why NNOC (CNA National arm) already there with one victory.

[quote] A good point regarding direct care nurses recognizing that "THEY" are the union. However, I believe the Cook County/Chicago RNs' organizing committee demonstrated that they are involved; they collectively and effectively recognized that their interests would be better served if they exercised their "freedom of association" rights. They demonstrated problem solving at it's finest, and recognized that reforming INA from the inside was all but impossible. To paraphrase the old 'serentity prayer', they had the COURAGE to organize and change what could be changed, AND the WISDOM to know the difference among unions.

I respectfully must disagree with the use of the term "raiding" with regard to nurses who work at Cook County. The definition of "raiding" is generally accepted to be: "a sudden, forceful attack, a predatory operation mounted against a competitor, especially an attempt to lure away the personnel or membership of a competing organization", according to my dictionary. The Stroger/Cook County nurses invited and chose to organize with NNOC because THEIR interests were not being served by INA. The NNOC does NOT compete with INA to serve the interests of the hospital association! Let me restate that for emphasis: CNA/NNOC DOES NOT COMPETE FOR RNs WHO ARE ORGANIZED FOR THE PURPOSES OF SERVING THE HOSPITAL AND INSURANCE INDUSTRY. (As a matter of fact, in California, we kicked 'em out with a democratic vote in 1995, and took over our organization.) http://www.calnurses.org/nnoc/about-nnoc.html

RNs choose to affiliate because CNA/NNOC is a professional all-RN organization and a labor union, that represents the exclusive interests of RNs and patients. CNA/NNOC is unparalled and has no equal among labor unions in promoting, protecting, and defending the right and the duty of RNs to advocate for patients.

Cook County RNs recognized INA was ineffectual and often working in collusion with the hospital industry to subordinate the interests of RNs to the industry's bottom-line financial schemes. INA functions much like a labor/management "partnership" union with employers, not unlike the SEIU, with a top-down, autocratic "leadership" structure, where the voice of the direct care RN is marginalized and ignored.

Shamefully, time and time again, INA and IHA representatives sat smugly and cozily together, alternatively ranting and whining during hearings in opposition to HB 392, the mandatory safe RN to patient ratio legislation, sponsored by State Representative Mary Flowers (D-Chicago), chair of the Health Care Availability and Access Committee. NNOC members from all over Illinois, including busloads from Cook County provided fact-based, credible, and often heart-breaking testimony in support of why this important public safety/patient advocacy legislation is necessary!

Such subservience to industry by INA creats a hostile working environment that becomes a barrier to RNs' ability to provide safe, therapeutic, and effective care to patients, and a barrier to the recruitment and retention of sufficient RNs to meet the needs of the patients.

Speaking truth to the powerful monied, self-serving interests will always be a fight, a good fight that direct care RNs are always willing to collectively and strategically engage in, on behalf of their patients. As CNA/NNOC members, WE PLEDGE OUR SOLIDARITY TO SUPPORT RNs IN COLLECTIVE PATIENT ADVOCACY:
To speak and act on behalf of our patients.
To unite against actions by a health care facility, government agency or private interest group that infringe upon our obligations as RNs.
To unite against actions that interfere with RNs' right to form their own organization, take action in their own name and improve conditions for all nurses.

RNs want to do what is best for their patients. CNA/NNOC helps give you support and 'has your back' so that you can turn the tide when the corporation or the government wants to put profits or power above patient care, safety and patient interests.

Hooray for CNA and NNOC!

Any group of nurses that wants to invite that kind of power and organization of forces into their work place is not being raided; they are being wise.