Strike nursing

Nurses Union

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Just wanted to get some info on how some nurses only work strike positions. Are there enough out there to make a fairly routine salary? I currently work as a traveler and have thrown in a few strikes. Would like to do more, but my travel assignments have interfered and I like to eat. Any info would be greatly appreciated

Ok, just my two cents. If you come to work and regularly you will have a following scenario: Today you will have to take your usual assignment plus Jessica's patients because Jessica is being sent home, so hospital representative save money and can have nice bonus pay check on how they saved money to the shareholders :) Also, the CNA is going home - so they save. To this lovely daily situation you will have elderly who is having severe dementia, is aggressive and determined to go somewhere, and suicider on the other side of floor, and it's your responsibility to not let them do what they want. (One to leave this place, the other this world) with no help. Other patient is about to arrest any minute. Oh, and forget supplies... fight with your coworkers over basic equipment (which is not going to be fixed or replaced). The overtime you worked...puff is in the air... disappeared from your time card. (Was deleted.)... Sorry but those patients are not really being taken care of by loving management of the hospital. That nurse is overworked, knows those patients are not in the safe environment, because there is only as much she can do, management refuses to change approach and she is done with the bulls excrement dripping, or seeping from very walls surrounding her. Or she can be good dummie and keep working such, go for another hospital (same es corporation) for love and compassion and altruism (that one never runs low no matter what the circumstances are) Florance Nightingale reincarnated. Or would you decide to put your feet down and make an end to such a situation? Set the safe limits? In my opinion such a nurse who decides to go through hard wall of management and fight is a hero. But it is just mine opinion.

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That's awesome. I didn't know people specialized in crossing the picket line. Where do I sign up? I have every intention of crossing the line at my employer if it ever comes to that.

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That's awesome. I didn't know people specialized in crossing the picket line. Where do I sign up? I have every intention of crossing the line at my employer if it ever comes to that.

If you cross the picket line at your own strike you don't get strike pay.

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I recently started looking into strike nursing. A friend suggested after having completed on herself. Turns out she got to keep her house thanks to it. I laughed when I heard the term scab (referring to a strike nurse). First, I can't believe that those who love this profession so much would think that they would strike and make hospital administrators be obliged to, I don't know, come do bedside care. Just as we ate nurses and manage our own emergencies, as business people they will find a way to manage theirs and eventually paying for these so called "scabs" will hurt their pocket and they will have to reassess. Secondly, we all do have to "eat", I work because I have too and nursing is above all else what I choose to do. What would you do if you didn't need to work for a living? Speaking of eating, I live in Florida, we don't have unions. We are by far one of the lowest paying states, and nursing here is hard as we have very sick older patients. I have been an ICU nurse for about 6 years, part time as of 2 years when I had my child, and if it wasn't for my husband's salary we would hardly be afloat. I made 31,000 last year, that's without insurance premium by the way, as I get them through my husband. What I find most unsettling is that the news coverage for these strikes comment on the nurses average salary and it's usually 3x what I make. So, call me a scab this scab will be laughing all the way to the bank.

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If you cross the picket line at your own strike you don't get strike pay.

Yeah, that's just called "coming to work." And don't think that your striking coworkers will forget it, either.

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Speaking of eating, I live in Florida, we don't have unions. We are by far one of the lowest paying states, and nursing here is hard as we have very sick older patients. I have been an ICU nurse for about 6 years, part time as of 2 years when I had my child, and if it wasn't for my husband's salary we would hardly be afloat. I made 31,000 last year, that's without insurance premium by the way, as I get them through my husband. What I find most unsettling is that the news coverage for these strikes comment on the nurses average salary and it's usually 3x what I make. So, call me a scab this scab will be laughing all the way to the bank.

So, is all of that supposed to be a rationalization for why you're willing to undercut your fellow nurses who have worked hard in other states in order to establish unions that do protect their salaries and working conditions? You want everyone else to have to have it as bad as you do? Nice.

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Specializes in Critical-care RN.

ICU2010,

I don't know how long you have been an RN or if you are involved with any organizations or are in contact with any "Union" RN's! I have been a union RN for 20 yrs, yes, we have great pay, great medical insurance, pension, and working conditions that are "Safe". The term "Scabs" has been around since the 1920's or before for ALL people who cross the picket line for any type of union worker, not just RN's. I was an ICU RN for years, we have in California, either 2:1 or 1:1 nurse:patient ratio. This state law was initiated by California Nurses Association, one of the best unions for RN's, the law also expands to All RN's in all departments for "Patient Safety" the nurse:patient ratio. We have now expanded to numerous other states, Thank God! Unions are there to save people's lives. The thousands of union workers have developed a bond as brothers and sisters to care for our patient in a safe and professional manner. We all went too long and hard studying to graduate with a degree to be the best RN we could be. By sitting back and allowing management, who has never been at the bedside, dictate to us how to care for our patients according to their budget, we will not stand for that! So before becoming a "Scab", research what a RN union is all about! Scabs are working for management, "Not" your brothers and sisters whose heart is where it should be, with the patient.

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Specializes in Critical-care RN.

You go and keep that sisterhood alive!! Read the comment below I wrote, maybe she just needs education, a lot of it!!

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I recently started looking into strike nursing. A friend suggested after having completed on herself. Turns out she got to keep her house thanks to it. I laughed when I heard the term scab (referring to a strike nurse). First, I can't believe that those who love this profession so much would think that they would strike and make hospital administrators be obliged to, I don't know, come do bedside care. Just as we ate nurses and manage our own emergencies, as business people they will find a way to manage theirs and eventually paying for these so called "scabs" will hurt their pocket and they will have to reassess. Secondly, we all do have to "eat", I work because I have too and nursing is above all else what I choose to do. What would you do if you didn't need to work for a living? Speaking of eating, I live in Florida, we don't have unions. We are by far one of the lowest paying states, and nursing here is hard as we have very sick older patients. I have been an ICU nurse for about 6 years, part time as of 2 years when I had my child, and if it wasn't for my husband's salary we would hardly be afloat. I made 31,000 last year, that's without insurance premium by the way, as I get them through my husband. What I find most unsettling is that the news coverage for these strikes comment on the nurses average salary and it's usually 3x what I make. So, call me a scab this scab will be laughing all the way to the bank.

I think it wonderful you willing to be a strike nurse when given the opportunity. I had been on both sides of the sensitive issues concerning striking nurses and those nurses striking.

Hospitals would be NOTHING more then outpatient day clinics if it weren't for nurses. Upper management tends to forget that all to often. If nurses can actually unite, which is the biggest hurdle to face nurses today and perplexes me to no end because they really have all this power but don't know how to use it and strike. All I can say is bravo in support of every single one when they do unite and stand up for change and better the working conditions.

You and other that work a strike all I can say is bravo to you nurses too. It's because of you the real victims in all of this, our patients who are our neighbors, mother's, father's, relatives, grandparents, children, fellow nurses and victims of crime needs are taken care of. Thank you.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I think it wonderful you willing to be a strike nurse when given the opportunity. I had been on both sides of the sensitive issues concerning striking nurses and those nurses striking.

Hospitals would be NOTHING more then outpatient day clinics if it weren't for nurses. Upper management tends to forget that all to often. If nurses can actually unite, which is the biggest hurdle to face nurses today and perplexes me to no end because they really have all this power but don't know how to use it and strike. All I can say is bravo in support of every single one when they do unite and stand up for change and better the working conditions.

You and other that work a strike all I can say is bravo to you nurses too. It's because of you the real victims in all of this, our patients who are our neighbors, mother's, father's, relatives, grandparents, children, fellow nurses and victims of crime needs are taken care of. Thank you.

Huh? You think both sides are great? If nurses unite-- and I think "union" might be an operative word here -- how does it help to achieve our goals if someone is willing to mitigate the consequences to management by leaping into the breach?

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

When my union in striking they give nursing management cell phone numbers. If management calls and one or more nurses go in to work it is not considered breaking the strike.

I know of only one time since 1969 that management admitted they were not doing fine. A replacement RN who was assigned to perform dialysis told the manager she did not know how to use the equipment so would not dialyze the patient. An RN left the picket line, cared for the patient, and returned to the strike.

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Specializes in Emergency.

I have a different viewpoint. That so called "scab" nurse thats brought in to take care of my patients affords me the piece of mind to be able to participate in a work stoppage, exercising my right as a unionized worker. I am a professional with a certain set of abilities that are not easily reproduced by an outsider with little time for orientation on policy and procedure within my working organization so I do not worry about being "replaced"; not to mention there are legal protections in place to curtail that kind of action. A true professional would offer up appropriate advise to a fellow professional in need of said advise, personal feelings aside.

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