Why is unionization a subject of taboo??

Nurses Union

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Hey everybody,

I work on a busy telemetry floor in Florida. Most days/nights (I work both) I am running around like crazy trying to get everything done with minimal time to take a break, go to lunch, or go to the bathroom. Pay is not that great and I feel as if upper mgmt continuously send patients that are not appropriate acuity for our floor. We are staffed 5:1 and have rapid responses/codes daily and are always shipping people off to the ICU for higher level of care. Also, our charge nurse usually takes patients and we are usually also short staffed a tech leaving the individual RN to fend for ourselves.

I know it is like this everywhere (at least on telemetry units)....sooooo why aren't nurses banding together to stop this? Why is it such taboo to talk about starting a nursing union in Florida (or in other states for that matter)?

In a private conversation with my ANM (who I have grown close with through the ups and downs of our crazy floor), I asked her this same question. She totally freaked out on me and refused to even say the word "union" out loud suggesting that if someone overheard us, we could be fired on the spot. What? Seriously? I'm not saying that unionization is the absolute answer but maybe blending some of their ideas with our own to make for a better workplace for all. Why are we not allowed to even talk about it out loud? This isn't a dictatorship. And nurses continue to put up with this. They say things like, "It is what it is." Actually, usually, it is what it shouldn't be.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. As a disclaimer, I am very thankful to have a job and I do enjoy taking care of my patients. Have a great day!

Specializes in MPCU.

My guess is that unionization is a taboo subject because we do not rationally think about unions. Like the other taboo subjects our beliefs are based on emotion rather than reason.

I oppose unions, admittedly for emotional reasons. Those who favor unions seem to have equally less than rational reasons for their support of unions.

False Equivalency. Another tool used to manipulate people into acting against their own interests.

People may well become "emotional" about:

a 40 hour work week;

stopping child labor;

implementing safety standards in mines;

requiring personal safety equipment to prevent exposure to substances;

preventing workers from dying in fires because management locked them inside buildings;

developing and implementing OSHA and NIOSH regulations;

enforcing fair labor practices;

keeping student teacher rations within reasonable limits;

keeping nurse patient ratios within reasonable limits

etc.

The fact that people may become "emotional," over things that improve quality of life does not mean that people have "less than rational reasons for their support of unions." I don't find it "equally less than rational" that working people be afforded a safe and reasonable work environment.

Furthermore, quite often the unions of helping professions such as teachers and nurses promote initiatives for the benefit of others, students and patients. Seeing the needs of others and advocating to improve the lives of others are not "equally less than rational reasons" for supporting unions.

Who determines what "unskilled" is. There are jobs that would appear to require no special training or education. But, the average person may not be able to walk in straight from the street and perform the job efficiently or well. Many of the jobs are physically demanding and dangerous.

In some instances "unskilled" workers are more likely to be exploited and treated unfairly. They could greatly benefit from unions and I see no reason to deny them the right to unionize.

However, when unions ally themselves with a political force which at it's heart lies hatred of America and the American way of life, the long term interests of their own membership, their members' descendents, the puiblic and their own nation, then what we have is not a labor union, but something evil. Nurses need to take a real hard look at the national and oftentimes State leadership of their unions before signing on.

Specializes in Critical-care RN.

The enemy is Corporations ! As Hospital Go Lean and Squeeze Workers................

Specializes in MPCU.

Yeah.

Specializes in MPCU.

can i get a witness!

Sure, to have your union you need people who follow the advise of those they perceive as more knowledgeable.... Do you really need to be a lackey for unions as much as those who oppose unions are considered by you as lackey's for management?

Let's try another concept. What if, we actually did the stuff that helps people get better.

Yeah, that would screw management, cuz they would find it hard to justify their job, and it would screw unions, cuz well they can't really help us make a difference.

Specializes in Psych , Peds ,Nicu.

I believe many nurses in both unionized and non union facilities would love to do all the stuff that gets people better , but those who work in a chronically understaffed enviroment , cannot possibly continue over a period of time provide that level of care . Intthe area I work we have adequate staffing at ALL time because the union I belong to fought to gain the safe staffing laws , through that union I can continue to force my employer to maintain safe stafffing .

As to your last paragraph ,I can't understand the point you are trying to make , sorry .

Specializes in none.
Hey everybody,

I work on a busy telemetry floor in Florida. Most days/nights (I work both) I am running around like crazy trying to get everything done with minimal time to take a break, go to lunch, or go to the bathroom. Pay is not that great and I feel as if upper mgmt continuously send patients that are not appropriate acuity for our floor. We are staffed 5:1 and have rapid responses/codes daily and are always shipping people off to the ICU for higher level of care. Also, our charge nurse usually takes patients and we are usually also short staffed a tech leaving the individual RN to fend for ourselves.

I know it is like this everywhere (at least on telemetry units)....sooooo why aren't nurses banding together to stop this? Why is it such taboo to talk about starting a nursing union in Florida (or in other states for that matter)?

In a private conversation with my ANM (who I have grown close with through the ups and downs of our crazy floor), I asked her this same question. She totally freaked out on me and refused to even say the word "union" out loud suggesting that if someone overheard us, we could be fired on the spot. What? Seriously? I'm not saying that unionization is the absolute answer but maybe blending some of their ideas with our own to make for a better workplace for all. Why are we not allowed to even talk about it out loud? This isn't a dictatorship. And nurses continue to put up with this. They say things like, "It is what it is." Actually, usually, it is what it shouldn't be.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. As a disclaimer, I am very thankful to have a job and I do enjoy taking care of my patients. Have a great day!

Because people and management are afraid of what a German guy said a while back, Workers of the world unite! In union there is strength. They would have to start treating nurses like people and we are suppose to do this out of love of humanity.

OK, I give up on reality and will adopt the lefty points of view on this topic: Management is trying to screw the workers. Unions good. Corporations bad. Socialists, Communists, Obama and Democrats good. Republicans and conservatives bad. Hospital Administrators are moustache twisting overseers. Workers are unconcerned with anything but patient care. We could all get along if only there was no other opinion than that of the hard left. Unions good...unions good...all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy...all work and no play makes jack a dull boy...ha ha ha ha (demented laughter)

Specializes in Psych , Peds ,Nicu.

In the real world about 90% of the economy is derived from non unionized employees , yet all the ills of the economy are blamed by the right wing upon the remaining 10% .

So how is it giving up on reality to try to point out that maybe those who hold REAL power may be to blame for the state of the ecomomy , rather than those who are trying to stop the employed from being screw** out of sharing the benefits of what they produce ? .

In the real world I have only seen management cut , cut and cut again , in order to maintain their ever increasing slice of the pie . Indeed the corporation may become more profitable , but at what cost ? and if indeed profitability has increased why is it that only the corporate officers and not all employees benefit from that ?.

I am NOT a socialist I am a realist , in the USA you think the little power unions have here represents socialism ( here if we had sound you would hear my demented laughter ) , I was brought up in the UK in pre Thatcher UK , now that was closer to REAL socialism .Having seen that I believe an economy works best when there is a balance of power between management and labor , so that both sides feel they are going to get an equitable return upon their investment ( of finance or labor ).

Specializes in none.
OK, I give up on reality and will adopt the lefty points of view on this topic: Management is trying to screw the workers. Unions good. Corporations bad. Socialists, Communists, Obama and Democrats good. Republicans and conservatives bad. Hospital Administrators are moustache twisting overseers. Workers are unconcerned with anything but patient care. We could all get along if only there was no other opinion than that of the hard left. Unions good...unions good...all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy...all work and no play makes jack a dull boy...ha ha ha ha (demented laughter)

and if you get medical benefits,a pension, Holidays, sick days days off with pay you can blame old Karl too and people like him that got together and said enough is enough. You can read about things like that under the title of the industrial revolution. least we forget Child labor laws. So have a good laugh on the old guy.

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