[herring_RN]

First Unionized Hospital in Texas

Cypress Fairbanks Hospital, Houston RNs Vote to Join Nation's Largest RN Organization

HOUSTON, March 29 --
In a dramatic breakthrough for the aspirations of Texas registered nurses to have a stronger voice to speak out for patients and themselves, a northwest Houston hospital Friday night became the first hospital in Texas to win union collective bargaining rights....
http://www.sunherald.com/447/story/456631.html


March 28, 2008, 11:43PM
Nurses vote to organize
Registered nurses at a northwest Harris County hospital voted to unionize late Friday, becoming the only organized RNs among the state's private hospitals in an election that was closely watched in the medical community....
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...s/5658010.html

[crimson]

Good, Texas RN's in some areas are so abused it is ridiculous. It is time they were taken care of.

[Kyrshamarks]

God help us now

[loricatus]

[HM2Viking]

In Solidarity!

[Ludlow]

The cool thing about NNOC/CNA is that the bedside nurses ARE the union. Texas bedside nurses have spoken up and said that they want more power to keep their patients safer. NNOC will back them all the way in that. This is a good thing for patients and a very good thing for nurses. Hooray!!!

[maryloufu]

Originally Posted by Kyrshamarks

God help us now

Ok- I'll bite. Why do you say that Kyrshamarks?

[ADVOCATE 4 PATIENTS]

David, it is amazing the excitement created by the Cy-fair nurses vote for CNA/NNOC unionization a week ago. Now Texas nurses know that it IS legal in Texas to have a professional union. We have operated under the threats that unions are illegal and unprofessional. My CEO went on to express his views that "unions are only full of hot air and empty promises".
His view does not carry much weight as he HAS a contract that clearly spells out his working conditions and benefits and protects him from early or wrongful termination.

I understand it is hard to overcome all the years of nursing suppression and oppression but the unity shown by the Cy-fair nurses under the guidance and support the CNA/NNOC-Texas is affecting a change of attitude at my facility.

Our nurses are excited and want to become part of this state and national movement to create safer patient care including better working conditions for nurses. Thanks Cy-fair nurses! And thank you CNA/NNOC for making this possible. Nurses need and want to belong to an organization that is led and managed by registered nurses.

[ADVOCATE 4 PATIENTS]

Originally Posted by Kyrshamarks

God help us now

Yes, Kyrshamarks, God is helping us! For decades nurses have prayed for something to make a difference in our work places to protect our patients and our licenses. Our prayers have been answered! Keep praying that the Tenet Cy-fair nurses, and the ones to quickly follow, will win improvements in their workplaces.

Wins such as real breaks where your patients are actually taken care of by a nurse who does not have another assignment except as a reliever. Gone will be the days when you go to break or lunch and leave your two ICU patients with your nurse buddy who then has FOUR ICU patients to manage. Or, worse yet, the poor med-surg nurse who has 5-8 patients has to look out for your 5-8 patients...making her assignment 10-16+

Wins such as early retirement health insurance; a real pension (HCA nurses who have NOT unionized just lost theirs); no more firings because you became a 'trouble-maker' by exposing unsafe patient care; and, even wins such as lower co-pays on your health insurance. The possibilities just depend on what the nurses want and are willing to negoiate for.

Keep praying, God is with us.

[mdfog10]

I have met some of the NNOC Texas nurses and they are fired up!!!!! From a California Nurse who has benefited from RNs before me, I so admire the courage and energy the Texas nurses have. Nurses united can turn any situation around!!!!