union pro or con

So what's the answer? Is there a "fair" union for nurses that stands up for worker rights but doesn't allow the typical union abuses? Maybe it's time to form one.

I'm convinced that most of the state nurses organizations that do collective bargaining fit that description exactly - CNA, Mass. Nurses Assn, New york State Nurses Assn, etc. (Many state nurses assns don't do collective bargaining) That's not to say they are all equally effective, but I think they are all honest and generally committed to what is best for nurses and patients. In CNA we have a strong believe that what is best for nurses - adequate salary, adequate staffing, control over our practice, etc also makes for good patient care. It's sad that the abdication from collective bargaining by nurses assns. has allowed so many non-nurse unions to come in and fill the vacuum, since they generally don't have the nursing perspective.

I support unionizing if it's done for the right reasons. For instance, I believe that staffing ratios and bans on mandatory overtime should be set in a union contract. I'd like to see unions support national health care (I think SEIU does). I'd like to see them speak out about lack of health care.

I did a clinical at a hospital that voted to strike a year ago. They settled things before the walkout happened. It seemed to be about everything but the patients. From what I heard (and there were posters all over the nurses' lounge), the strike was about the cost of parking, a 1% pay raise, and having to pay 10% of their health insurance premium. Never mind that no one parks for free (it's on a bunch of bus routes and the subway), or that other employees pay 50% of their health insurance premiums. Frankly, if the union wants its members to have free health insurance, they should pay for it. They talked a lot about being disrespected, but didn't specify how they were being disrespected.

I am a union nurse. We negotiate a national contract with all the other unions in our system once every 5 years. This national contract established several things that are positive: 1) Business education for all staff, including nurses, and 2) a partnership program that has management working with staff in a consensus building environment.

So as nurses we get the financial information on how the hospital is doing. We have the numbers and use them to make reasonable wage increases. We also have profit sharing when meeting clinical goals such as promoting referrals for Hgb A1c's and Lipid panels in diabetics.

We also have tons of research, innovation, and committee work that promotes patient care. I think that there has been a misconception that everyone is greedy and looking to make a buck. I feel that even though nursing and management don't always agree, we try our best to make decisions that keep the patient in the center of the argument. I think it's great when we are in a meeting arguing about how we can deliver better patient care. I love tearing apart research & statistics to find truly best practice. And I really believe that the best unions work for transparency across the board. We all benefit from a good union.

I guess the argument would be that it can also be achieved in non union hospitals which is of course, true. It would be a blessing to find a business that listens to employees and offers them trust, job security, as well as fair discipline. It's just in my experience, unions help nurses work together to do this better. Having the union contract means we can take it to an outside mediator and arbitrator when we don't agree, which by the way is cheaper than a lawsuit. We even have PA's , NP's, optometrists, and Midwives in our union. We all work together for better healthcare.

I work at a hospital where the nurses are unionized. I wouldn't work anywhere withoug a union.

Actually as a nurse. Anyone who knows me will tell you I have never been shamed into silence. I have never failed to be an advocate for patients and for what is right. And I do not worry about job security. So what would a union do for me.Except be someone else to answer to. Can not see it.

I agree with Latenightnurse
I believe that many non-union nurses are bullied into silence by managers that employ threats and intimidation. New graduates, nurses who are the main breadwinner and foreign nurses are often most at risk. Others who speak up watch as their silent sisters who toe the line get favored treatment (choice of shifts, merit raises, etc.).

In the current economy nurses have good reason to worry about job security. Nurses that do attempt to advocate for their patients and themselves without union protection report being fired for speaking up. Depending on where you live, going across town to another facility may not be an option. Some communities have only one hospital and in other communities, nurses find themselves blackballed at all of the facilities in town.

As a union nurse I really value the ability to speak up and advocate whether to a difficult MD, to the Director of Nursing or to a newspaper or regulatory body without any fear of retribution. I believe that all RNs should have that peace of mind and security.

I believe RNs have that peace of mind anyway if they are self conficent in themselves, You can not buy confidence by paying union dues. You either are very self confident are you arent. A crutch isnt going to help you.

I don't characterize the power of collective action as a "crutch".

It's great that you are able to be a strong advocate for your patients. Could you agree that your voice would be even stronger, carry more weight, if all the nurses in the institution stood with you?

Not all nurses have your ability. We all excel in different areas. When we come together as a union, we can help those nurses develop their voice- so that all patients benefit- not just those lucky enough to have strong advocates.

We're in this together.

I don't understand the benefit of the "you're on your own" approach in nursing.

In my 40 + year career as an RN I worked half time in both union and non union hospitals. My most recent and longest stint in one hospital system was in a union and I enjoyed it the most for these reasons.

The union (CNA) was influential in establishing safe nurse patient ratios in all areas of hospital nursing. It protected our rights to bathroom and meal breaks (!!). It protected the right to bid on open positions according to experience and seniority, encouraging promotion from within and eliminating favoritism. It allowed individual staff nurses to speak up about any dangerous practises or practitioners without fear of being fired.
When it was time for layoffs it gave benefits to the most senior employees, who were generally the most experienced and earned the highest salaries.

There were a few times when I hated paying the union dues, generally after a small salary increase and a larger increase in dues. Salaries eventually caught up and outstipped the cost of the union.

I knew I could practise my profession in an atmoshere where patient safety came before hospital profits - and that went a long way towards career satisfaction!