[brian]

More than 1,100 Cook County nurses voted to give their negotiators the OK to call a strike, a 97 percent margin, the union representing them said Thursday.

The nurses, who work at 29 county Bureau of Health Services facilities, voted 1,151 to 42 to give negotiators the authority to call a strike if they deem it necessary, the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association said.

The union represents 1,800 RNs at three hospitals and more than 20 community clinics, four public health offices, the county jail and the juvenile detention center.

Full Story: 97% margin for county nurse strike vote [Chicago Sun-Times,United States]

[SFCardiacRN]

Nurses need to stick together. Strikes are not fun but without the threat of one, some administrators won't bargain in good faith.

[nyydreamer]

Finally County nurses are voting with their heads - hopefully this is the start of nurses standing up to the County Board and demanding what we need in order to deliver pt care safely - to all those not willing to take a stand, not willing to make a sacrifice, DO NOT complain if we get a bad contract - our pay is below local standard, we are being threatened with a huge increase in health care benefits - if we don't stand together, we'll end up with a pay cut - ALL of us work so hard, we deserve eveything we can get out of county - thanks for reading

[pickledpepperRN]

Nurses Picket For Contract Agreement

Debra Dale Reporting
CHICAGO (WBBM Newsradio 780) -- About 100 Cook County registered nurses marched outside Stroger Hospital Wednesday morning. There were also demonstrations at other area hospitals.

The nurses have been working without a contract since November 2004. They became part of the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association in May of 2005.

Negotiations for a new contract have been under way since last September. On March 2, they voted to authorize a strike. Union spokesperson, Sheilah Garland said there's been no major progress in the negotiations since then.

The nurses said they don't want to strike and hope today's informational pickets will prod the county into signing off on a new contract promising higher wages and better staffing levels.

Nurses said the current staffing levels negatively impact patient care while a poor wage structure contributes to high turnover.
http://www.wbbm780.com/pages/15467.php?

[pickledpepperRN]

Stroger improves after stroke
March 15, 2006
Cook County Board president John Stroger’s condition is improving after the stroke he suffered early Tuesday, his top aide and personal doctor said this morning…

… Stroger, 76, remained hospitalized at Rush University Medical Center. The stroke weakened his left side…
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/stroger15.html

Nurses from Stroger Hospital demanded to know why Stroger isn’t being treated at the hospital that bears his name.

[lindarn]

Originally Posted by nyydreamer

Finally County nurses are voting with their heads - hopefully this is the start of nurses standing up to the County Board and demanding what we need in order to deliver pt care safely - to all those not willing to take a stand, not willing to make a sacrifice, DO NOT complain if we get a bad contract - our pay is below local standard, we are being threatened with a huge increase in health care benefits - if we don't stand together, we'll end up with a pay cut - ALL of us work so hard, we deserve eveything we can get out of county - thanks for reading

Good for all of your nurses in Illinois for sticking to your guns. Here in Spokane, the nurses at Sacred Heart, who are represented by the Washington State Nurses Association, were faced with the same dilemma. The hospital wanted to increase the medical benefits by 20%, but were only offering a 5% pay increase. After haggling with the hospital for months, and going three months past the contract expiration, WSNA told the nurses that this was the best that they could do. The nurses were forced to accept the contract. To add insult to injury, WSNA did not negotiate for retroactive pay from the time that the contract expired until it was signed three months later. The nurses all lost three months of retroactive pay.

As nurses went to vote on the contract, they put in their paperwork to get out of WSNA. Why have more of you hard earned pay eaten up by union dues for a union that has proven itself to be as useful as tits on a bull? JMHO.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, Washington

[oldnurse newnurse]

Nurses from Stroger Hospital demanded to know why Stroger isn’t being treated at the hospital that bears his name.

Now that's what I want to know.

[pickledpepperRN]

…Simon was then confronted by a group of angry nurses who demanded to know why Stroger was not being treated at Stroger Hospital.

"We want to take care of the president," said registered nurse Dorothy Ahmad of Stroger Hospital. "We want to take care of him ourselves. We're qualified to take care of him."…

http://www.nbc5.com/politics/8038324/detail.html

[Geeg]

Actions do speak louder than words.

[SillyLilly]

Ha. He went to County originally, but his doctor is at Rush, and claims, for the stroke, they have better equiptment there.

Since it is election time and for other reasons... i think he should have stayed at his own hospital.

Then again, I personally do now want to work at the hospital that i have my doctors at.

Then again....I am not a public figure.