[lizzyj]

SEIU international has sent out about 50 organizers to harass CNA RN leaders in their homes yesterday and have tried to stir up havock in CNA-represented facilities.


The heart of the matter… lies in the fact that SEIU International has created a harmful company union structure where the “union” partners with management to the detriment of their members. This is especially dangerous and harmful when you represent healthcare workers who work in unsafe conditions and goes against a licensed nurse’s ethical and legal obligation to be a patient advocate.

The unfortunate outcomes harm patients as well as caregivers as detailed in a recent SF Weekly article. The article is a must read from start to finish, but I feel compelled to excerpt the part about the tragic death of Mary Hochman, a night nurse and SEIU member who worked at Beverley La Cumbre, a Santa Barbara nursing home:
(Read the full story here http://www.sfweekly.com/2008-04-02/n...ower-play/full)

According to news accounts, Hochman walked onto a beach and shot herself in the heart after a months-long dispute with her employer. Her problems began when she tried to report that a nurse's aide had hit an 81-year-old man with dementia. According to Contra Costa Times reporter Carolyn McMillan, Hochman said in a sworn affidavit that she was told to cover up the information.

"If a nurse cannot protect her patients, I do not want to be a nurse," Hochman wrote in her suicide note. "This has taken all hope away from me."Hochman's note, along with a journal detailing instances where she was told to cover up incidents of abuse and neglect, helped spur a federal raid on the nursing home.

A subsequent investigation revealed patients suffering beatings and maggot-infested bedsores, culminating in a $2 million settlement against Beverly relating to preventable deaths. The investigation also spawned a dozen civil suits, according to press reports. SEIU had lobbied to ensure that a bill before the California legislature “didn’t include provisions supported by patients' rights groups that would have set standards guaranteeing high-quality care.

The union added hundreds of nursing home workers to its ranks. But the labor contracts that resulted included a scandalous detail: The union was discouraged from informing regulators, or the press, in cases of bad patient care.
Under traditional contracts, whistle-blowers such as Hochman could report abuses to the union and feel protected. The Alliance contracts, however, seemed to have the opposite intent. Under Stern's "modern" collaborative strategy, such protections are apparently worth sacrificing to grow the union.

CNA/NNOC is proud of our record in fighting for RNs and safe patient care, from winning the first-in-the nation RN-to-patient ratios, to fighting Governor Schwarzenegger’s attacks on our ratios and on the Board of Registered Nurses to building a national nurse’s movement to fight for the highest standards nationally for RNs and patients.

Building a national nurses movement isn’t always going to be easy, but it will all be worth it when we change the face of healthcare in this country.

[RedZeppelinRN]

Originally Posted by carebearRN08

Just this week we've had CNA on site, passing around their brochures and trying to bust up our union. Its a little too coincidental that we are in bargaining right now. So yes, it is a little hard to know what's happening sometimes, I always thought CNA was good until I heard what they did in Ohio....

This is such a horrific scene for the LTCs. Although I worked for two LTCs, I was fired because I reported abuses and dangerous conditions to administrators of these 2 facilities that did not correct these conditions, I as an RN, mandated by the State to report these incidents to the State, because they would not correct the conditions, was fired from both facilities for retaliation. I filed a lawsuit against the first one. My lawyer said he would take it as a contingency and said it would settle and not go to trial. He called me months later and and wanted me to sign something allowing him to dismiss himself from the case because "he was wasn't making any money." I was never told I had to go to that hearing and the lawyers caused the court to sanction me to pay $1220 to the defendant, apparently because "I was so uncooperative." And I am told I will lose thousands of dollars because no other lawyer will represent me. I was fired from a hospital along with a long time RN, whose union for us both was CNA. I have yet to get to the arbitration, but the other RN, I am told CNA won a very large money amount for this RN.

I know this has nothing to do with SEIU, but patients in nursing homes are litterly abused and killed off for profit. CNA also is the union for the ancillary workers of this hospital.

I just can't fathom any of these issues anymore. I am so traumatized by it all. You can't advocate for your patients, or either your sanity or career is destroyed. The CNA does represent the CNAs, ancillary workers, etc. That in itself is dangerous. Especially, the ........... staff. patients are neglected and put in danger, and the DON says "I can't control all of them, they are in a protected class."

As I said, I know nothing about SEIU, but I think it is telling that they are hooked up with management. Healthcare is not safe in this country anymore. Peope in LTC anywhere are only there for the profit of the Corporations. They are not considered human beings.

John McCain referred to something, I forget, about "Corporate Greed." If you think the housing crunch and oil is bad and people while contemplating all the money they were going to get, think what it's going to be like when the whole LTC system greed falls apart. Unions included.

Sorry to rant, but greed just flows from one sector the other.

I got another bitter flyer in the mail today about CNA interfering with ancillary workers by CNA. The CNA union rep who is handling my arbitration is their union rep, although I think it is under another name.

[Spidey's mom]

I get SEIU stuff in the mail - just today in fact. It goes in the trash along with CNA stuff.

I've told the story about SEIU reps coming up here to rural Northern CA in their business suits and diamond rings and looking like mafia stereotypes. We peppered them with questions and they were a bit surprised by rural folks actually having brains. We did not want a union.

Funny to see both unions fighting it out . . . .

steph

[Ludlow]

Originally Posted by carebearRN08

Just this week we've had CNA on site, passing around their brochures and trying to bust up our union. Its a little too coincidental that we are in bargaining right now. So yes, it is a little hard to know what's happening sometimes, I always thought CNA was good until I heard what they did in Ohio....

Actually what happened in Ohio was that RNs spoke with RNs telling them that it is possible to have contracts that allow you to be able to fully advocate for your patients. Most recent SEIU contracts have a couple clauses that discourage whistle blowing and give the employer's financial desires precedence over patients needs.

NNOC/CNA contracts do not have those limitations so you can, with the backing of the union, do anything and everything necessary to speak out for your patients.

CNA/NNOC was asked to come to Ohio by RNs there. I don't know where you work, but most likely, nurses there also asked CNA/NNOC to come.

[RedZeppelinRN]

Still getting harassed by SEIU. So far 3 phone calls, brochures. I live in an apartment that locks the doors at 6:00 pm. Last night 2 SEIU people knocked on my door at 7:00 p.m. I am the only senior in this building, called me by my first name. They were trespassing. Probably gave some story to a resident to let them in. They left their brochure at my door after I closed it. I got home today and there was another brochure in the mail. They sure seem to be spending a lot of money to usurp CNA. I wonder if they are hiring these people off the streets to knock on your door like they hire telemarketers to call us. Sure does seem like they are spending a lot of money for something.

I called my rep today and asked if he could get my name off CNA's public list.

Red

[RN Power Ohio]

CNA does not have a public list. Your information is confidential. SEIU is getting your name from some where else. Most likley the BON registry list. You may work or live in an area where they are targeting a specific hospital.

[RN4MERCY]

Well, hopefully cooler heads will prevail soon among the so-called "leadership" at SEIU. Don't look now, but "here comes the judge." (anyone else out there remember Rowan and Martin's laugh in?)

A California Superior Court has issued a temporary restraining order against the Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern and SEIU to cease and desist the stalking, use of violence, and harassment of officers, directors and staff of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee.

Under the order, SEIU and Stern are prohibited from stalking, threatening or following CNA/NNOC leaders staff at work, in hospitals, clinics, and offices, at their homes. They are also barred from following their cars, or harassing them with mail or phone calls.

Stern and SEIU will be required to appear in Oakland, Ca. court May 1 as the court considers a three-year injunction. The order, signed by the Hon. Jon Rantzman late Tuesday, April 15th, and issued Wednesday morning, is in effect immediately.

Here's a link to The Los Angeles Times Story:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...,1579801.story

[morte]

Originally Posted by RN4MERCY

Well, hopefully cooler heads will prevail soon among the so-called "leadership" at SEIU. Don't look now, but "here comes the judge." (anyone else out there remember Rowan and Martin's laugh in?)

Here's a link to The Los Angeles Times Story:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...,1579801.story

of course....but wasnt it more like "here come da judge"? lol