[brian]

About 50 registered nurses at Flushing Hospital took to the picket line Tuesday, Valentine’s Day, asking the hospital to have a heart with their contract demands.
The informational picketing—complete with inflatable rat—was held outside the hospital in the early afternoon. The nurses have been working without a contact for six months. “We are losing our health benefits as of March 1 and the hospital only wants to give us a $1,000 raise,” said Alice Gantner, who has worked at Flushing Hospital for 35 years.
The demonstration was supported by the New York State Nurses Association, which say that the 370 R.N.s at Flushing Hospital have the lowest salaries in Queens and Brooklyn. Members are concerned that the hospital is already short on staff and the nurses are handling more patients than they believe is safe.
Gantner thinks it’s time for the hospital to give them a fair deal. “When Flushing Hospital was having financial problems we gave back. Now it’s time to give some of the money to us.”

More: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...d=152512&rfi=6

[grannynurse FNP student]

Originally Posted by brian

About 50 registered nurses at Flushing Hospital took to the picket line Tuesday, Valentine’s Day, asking the hospital to have a heart with their contract demands.
The informational picketing—complete with inflatable rat—was held outside the hospital in the early afternoon. The nurses have been working without a contact for six months. “We are losing our health benefits as of March 1 and the hospital only wants to give us a $1,000 raise,” said Alice Gantner, who has worked at Flushing Hospital for 35 years.
The demonstration was supported by the New York State Nurses Association, which say that the 370 R.N.s at Flushing Hospital have the lowest salaries in Queens and Brooklyn. Members are concerned that the hospital is already short on staff and the nurses are handling more patients than they believe is safe.
Gantner thinks it’s time for the hospital to give them a fair deal. “When Flushing Hospital was having financial problems we gave back. Now it’s time to give some of the money to us.”

More: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...d=152512&rfi=6

Poor Bloomberg, he needs to order those nurses back to work. And fire them if they don't return. Not really but it will get a rise out of some. My SO lives a few blocks from Flushing Hospital. And I've advised him to go to New York Hospital if he can. This hospital has been having problems for years.

Grannynurse:hatparty:

[Angie O'Plasty, RN]

“We are losing our health benefits as of March 1

I'd quit and find another job that has real benes and better pay.

[steelcityrn]

I can see why they picketed. How is one supposed to take care of others when they can't afford to take care of their own health? Seems to me once they push all these workers and their families out of their healthcare, some may find obtaining insurance impossible to get, and thereby lose their homes, cars, lifestyles and even tear apart families. Think it can't happen? Ask my brother-inlaw who lost a job at 45 and already had a heart condition!



STEELERS=SUPER BOWL CHAMPS!

[Crocuta]

Originally Posted by Angie O'Plasty, RN

I'd quit and find another job that has real benes and better pay.

This is why I'm not a big union fan (at the risk of starting a flame war ) - we have the power to implement change with our feet. There's a nursing shortage, and we're professionals in high demand.