[RN4MERCY]

Originally Posted by Sherwood

The unlawful assisstance to the unions I refer to is the Neutrality agreement that the CNA and the SEIU demanded of Tenet Healthcare a couple of years ago. This "neutrality agreement" gave the CNA access to the hosptitals that they otherwise would not have had. This deal was coerced from Tenet when they were already in deep trouble. So this "unlawful assisstance" was a deal cooked up and demanded by the unions.
After much legal wrangling what many including myself have been saying all along. THIS DEAL WAS AND IS ILLEGAL.
The vision for Nursing and healthcare that the CNA is spewing is neither benificial to Nurses or the public the CNA so badly claims it is fighting for. It is purely self serving rhetoric used only to fill the coffers of the CNA/NNOC who's leader is not a Nurse. Rose Ann Demoro is a former teamster who started off as a grocery store cashier.

Sherwood

Coersion? If TENET was in "deep trouble" it was at the hands of their own executives who got caught with their hands in the government cookie jar. I believe their agreement permitting access to public areas to nurse organizers was an acknowlegement of their understanding of the law. We only go where we're invited and the majority of the nurse's voted for CNA. It's still a democracy! Tenet was trying to do the right thing. By the way, CNA's leader is Deborah Berger, RN, elected along with all members of the Board of Directors, who are all staff nurses. Rose Ann is the executive director who serves the membership admirably; one of the 25 most powerful women in healthcare and one of the top 100 most influential people in healthcare! She's university educated and one of the most intelligent and compassionate human beings on the face of the planet. What's wrong with grocery checkers and Teamsters anyway, Sherman? What did you do for a living 30 years ago? Who are you serving with your rhetoric? I hope you will read some of Rose Ann's guest commentaries and editorials and perhaps, someday, you will be ashamed of maligning one of the nursing profession's most steadfast advocates. Oh, that all of us could work so tirelessly and speak so profoundly with state and national leaders on behalf meaningful change in our healthcare system!

[NRSKarenRN]

Originally Posted by Indy

I have a question. Who can tell me why the CNA seceded (sp?) from the ANA, and how this developed?

In 1995, CNA disaffiliated from ANA as they felt the needs of the bedside RN were not being addressed especially unbearable staffatient ratios, mandatory overtime, poor union representation in employee grivience meetings and at the bargaining table. Members wanted control over the unionized members funds to be used towards addressing these concerns.

A total of three groups disaffiliated from ANA: CNA, Mass.(MNA) and Maine.

PA nurses split off their collective bargaining group in 1998: union retained the name PNA (Pennsylvania Nurses Assoc), nonunion returned to prior Penna. State Nurses Association (PSNA) name and remained ANA affilitated. Split was due to similar reasons mentioned above. In the ensuing years, many PNA members moved to Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) Health Care Employees Division; later splitting again to become totally independent under new organization, the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP) in 2000 allowing a nurse run group to better address issues. PASNAP is largest union in SE PA representing most unionized RN's in Philadelphia area.

See:

MNA Disaffiliation from ANA
Massachusetts Nurses Association, professional organization for the promotion
and rights of Massachusetts nurses in the workplace.
www.massnurses.org/News/2001/disaff2/disaff2page.htm

Massachusetts Nurses Move Ahead
... more than the two-thirds needed to disaffiliate from the ANA (American Nurses
... In November, 2000, disaffiliation failed by a very narrow margin. ...
www.socialistalternative.org/justice24/6.html


Other nurses from Calif, Mass and Maine formed new organizations to retain ties to ANA:
American Nurses Association | The American Nurse July/August 2001
... the disaffiliation from ANA," said ANA-Maine President Joe Niemczura, MS, ...the disaffiliation vote, we began organizing, eager to establish a new ANA ...
www.nursingworld.org/tan/01julaug/reconnec.htm



In 2002 another national association was formed:
Old dispute leads to new nursing group
Supporters calling for mandated patient ratios form rival assocation
Victor Godinez, The Dallas Morning News, February 17, 2002



A long-running disagreement over how to solve the nurse shortage has resulted in the creation of a national nurse association whose major focus is government-mandated nurse-patient ratios.

The newly formed American Association of Registered Nurses - spearheaded by the California Nurses Association and other state nursing groups that have cut their affiliation to the American Nurses Association - is promoting the ratios as a way to alleviate the crushing workloads that are driving many nurses out of the profession.

"If you're going to make nursing attractive to young people, you're going to have to do something about the work setting," said Kay McVay, president of the California group. "If you don't have ratios, we'll never be able to attract people into nursing, because it's just become so difficult to be able to do your job." In addition to the California association, which left the ANA in 1995, AARN also includes the Massachusetts Nurses Association, the Maine State Nurses Association, the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, and the United Health Care Workers of Missouri.

All told, the AARN has roughly 70,000 nurse members.

California recently enacted the ratios that AARN is promoting. The ratios require that each general emergency room nurse be limited to no more than four patients at a time, ICU and neonatal nurses to two, and operating room nurses to one.

But the ANA opposes mandatory ratios, and Claire Jordan, executive director of the ANA-affiliated Texas Nurses Association, said her organization prefers to improve working conditions by giving nurses a greater voice in determining departmental hiring and budgetary needs.

"They have elected to say that the state will come to an absolute ratio of how many nurses can care for how many patients in these settings," Ms. Jordan said, referring to the AARN.

"We believe in being a little less prescriptive and putting in place systems that will make the nurse feel more in control of the staffing issue and the mandatory overtime issue," she said.

Mandatory overtime is a major concern for the ANA and AARN, and both agree that the best approach is to prohibit hospitals from requiring nurses to work overtime.

"To mandate overtime is silly," said Sam Ruffing, vice president and chief nursing officer for Methodist Hospitals of Dallas. "People will volunteer if they feel they are capable of doing it, and bless the hearts of the staff, especially the younger staff, for whom it's not a problem. We do not mandate overtime."

But Ms. Ruffing said she disagrees with the AARN's position on nurse-patient ratios.

"In the ideal world, wouldn't you just love to have only two patients? Wouldn't that be wonderful?" she said. "The bottom line is no system can afford to do that."

Even if hospitals could afford the extra workers, those nurses simply don't exist to be hired, largely because nursing schools are already operating at full capacity, Ms. Ruffing said.

Also, while states that mandate the ratios may manage to meet the ratio requirements, that will likely be because nurses specializing, for example, in critical care will be pressed into duty in labor and delivery departments, increasing the likelihood of medical errors, Ms. Ruffing said.

"So to me, the issue of ratios is so superficial," she said. "Yes, it has its point and we keep a very close eye on that, and there isn't a nurse alive who wouldn't tell you they would like fewer patients. But sometimes that's just not possible."

Ms. McKay said, though, that ratios are the only way to ensure that nurses have enough time to properly care for each patient and provide the emotional support that is such a vital part of nursing.

"We think that this is why we became nurses," she said. "That's what we want to do, and I think this national organization is going to give us the ability to do that.²

New National Nurses Organization Includes New England Organizations
<http://www.advancefornurses.com>
Regional News, Advance for Nurses, February 18, 2002

The Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) and the Maine State Nurses Association (MSNA) have helped formalize the American Association of Registered Nurses (AARN), a new national nurses¹ organization whose constituents represent some 70,000 registered nurses and other allied professionals.

Other participants in the AARN, which adopted its name during a meeting held this month in San Diego, include the California Nurses Association, Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, and United Health Care Workers of Missouri. Additional nurses groups from New York and Arizona were informal participants in the San Diego meeting.

AARN members will work together on a series of national projects as well as assisting each other in state legislative, collective bargaining, and organizing campaigns to improve registered nurse staffing conditions and to promote the health and safety of nurses.

While meeting in San Diego the group targeted several priorities for legislative and workplace changes. On the national scene, the member groups have already sponsored a federal bill to prohibit mandatory overtime in hospitals, and have hired a Washington-based public interest advocate to promote national legislation.

While the group made many moves to solidify itself at the San Diego meeting, it has been gaining momentum for some time. According to Julie Pinkham, BSN, RN, executive director of the MNA, her group started meeting with other constituents shortly after the MNA disaffiliated from the American Nurses Association (ANA).

³This is a group that says if the resources are at a state level then we have to work with each other on the goals that we decide are appropriate for each other. And there is not a lot of dissention about what that is, so it has been relatively easy to accomplish.

³I think what¹s nice about the AARN is that it¹s not another bureaucracy,² she continued. ³These organizations are not creating another layer of bureaucracy to funnel money into and then wonder what you¹ll get out of it.²

Nurses from all the member groups attended a rally in California last September in support of implementation of Califonia¹s minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. Pinkham said the organization plans to help both Maine¹s push for universal healthcare and Massachusetts¹ efforts to pass staffing legislation.
wbumpus62.home.comcast.net/seachange/seachange84.htm


--------------------

Originally Posted by RN4MERCY

Why would TENET want to give "unlawful" assistance to a union?

The agreement allows the unions uncontested access to workers in 40 California hospitals and two in Florida.

In a period when newly organized workers frequently find themselves unable to leverage a first contract, the pact guarantees that management will sign a four-year “model contract” immediately after recognition
http://www.labornotes.org/archives/2003/07/b.html

Labor Notes - Tenet-SEIU-AFSCME Pact
... The big picture is that CNA and SEIU have two different philosophies ...
for a union handpicked by Tenet, that so few Tenet RNs have signed on for SEIU. ...
www.labornotes.org/archives/2003/10/f.html

Nursing A Grudge
... Separately, the CNA and SEIU for years had sought to force Tenet to sign a
... believes the reason Tenet went with SEIU was because of the union's good ...
www.calhealthconsensus.org/nw/nw000206.php

CNA Charges Illegal Deal Between Tenant & SEIU
... Next message: [Iww-news] CNA Charges Illegal Deal Between Tenet & SEIU ...
Employees Intl. Union <= BR> (SEIU) as an attempt to bribe Tenet employees, ...
lists.iww.org/pipermail/iww-news/2003-May/002131.html


Tenet nurses form council to seek alternate union
http://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38279


California Nurses Association and Tenet Healthcare Reach Agreement
http://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52348

Mass. Nurses Association Condemns Tenet-SEIU Neutrality Pact
... any employees voting for the union, SEIU union locals at the Tenet hospitals are
... More information about CNA, Tenet, and SEIU is available on the CNA ...
www.massnurses.org/News/2003/05/tenet.htm


HealthLeaders - HealthLeaders Magazine
... SEIU, the nation's oldest healthcare union, won a major contract last year
... And SEIU and CNA, both of which have difficult relationships with Tenet, ...
www.healthleaders.com/magazine/ feature1.php?contentid=44368

[Nancy2]

She's university educated and one of the most intelligent and compassionate human beings on the face of the planet.

What "university"? I am unable to find her credentials anywhere. All I found was that she was an organizer for the teamsters before going to CNA. Her education and qualifications are in the shadows. Can you shed some light?
I fail to see the "compassion" in the corporate campaigns she is and has been leading on hopitals. "intelligent" I agree with or at leaste clever.

[Sherwood]

Originally Posted by RN4MERCY

: I believe their agreement permitting access to public areas to nurse organizers was an acknowlegement of their understanding of the law. We only go where we're invited and the majority of the nurse's voted for CNA. It's still a democracy! Tenet was trying to do the right thing. By the way, CNA's leader is Deborah Berger, RN, elected along with all members of the Board of Directors, who are all staff nurses. Rose Ann is the executive director who serves the membership admirably; one of the 25 most powerful women in healthcare and one of the top 100 most influential people in healthcare! She's university educated and one of the most intelligent and compassionate human beings on the face of the planet. !

The Executive Director of the CNA is Rose Anne Demoro. She is the BOSS. She also employs her husband at the CNA.
The Neutrality Agreement allowed union organizers into Non-Public areas of the hospitals, specifically our breakrooms and they were even supplied with meeting rooms that are not accessed by the public. Employees with oppossing views were not given the equal access.
If DeMoro is University educated let us know where she went to college. What level of education has she completed?
The neutrality aggreement has been ruled illegal by the NLRB. The SEIU first obtained an agreement with Tenet and the CNA cried FOUL and they even stated that it was illegal. They shut up when they obtained their own illegal deal with Tenet.

[RN4MERCY]

Originally Posted by Nancy2

What "university"? I am unable to find her credentials anywhere. All I found was that she was an organizer for the teamsters before going to CNA. Her education and qualifications are in the shadows. Can you shed some light?
I fail to see the "compassion" in the corporate campaigns she is and has been leading on hopitals. "intelligent" I agree with or at leaste clever.

What about "corporate campaigns" conducted by hospital managers against nurses who try to advocate for their patients? Refusal to call in available staff, bullying and targeting nurses until they reach the breaking point in a hostile work environment and quit because of the perverted concept of "teamwork: we tell you what to do and you do it!" Good nurses, honest nurses, compassionate and highly educated and skilled nurses have left the profession in droves, but hospital corporations refuse to acknowlege any responsibility for their self-inflicted troubles attracting and retaining nurses. During initial hiring interviews nurses are asked about their knowledge of/feelings about unions. Where do the hospitals get the millions of dollars they spend on "union busters" anyway? Could it be from their income...money insurers and the government pays to reimburse for nursing care, or from patients who leave legacy money? Most bad outcomes in hospitals can be attributed to inadequate staffing and money that should be used to hire more nurses is used for bonuses, inflated executive salaries, advertising and layers of middle managers. Compassion is part and parcel of the Golden Rule and you bet we're going to continue to speak out in truth to prevent harm to our patients and our profession's ability to advocate. If we don't hang together then we'll most certainly be hanged as individuals!

[RN4MERCY]

Originally Posted by Sherwood

The Executive Director of the CNA is Rose Anne Demoro. She is the BOSS. She also employs her husband at the CNA.
The Neutrality Agreement allowed union organizers into Non-Public areas of the hospitals, specifically our breakrooms and they were even supplied with meeting rooms that are not accessed by the public. Employees with oppossing views were not given the equal access.
If DeMoro is University educated let us know where she went to college. What level of education has she completed?
The neutrality aggreement has been ruled illegal by the NLRB. The SEIU first obtained an agreement with Tenet and the CNA cried FOUL and they even stated that it was illegal. They shut up when they obtained their own illegal deal with Tenet.

What do you mean, "employees with opposing views were not given "equal access..."? We don't live in a vacuum and you really can't expect me to believe that any employees that were ever banned from their own break rooms or the cafeteria or the lobby. As a matter of fact, we had managers and assistant supervisors taking breaks in lounges where they've never been before...in an effort to intimidate nurses from talking with pro-union nurses. Anti-union nurses have no trouble sticking up for their "one-voice-with-management" partners. They work side by side with their pro-union colleagues. That constitutes "more than equal access" in my book. Again, I think Tenet was trying to do the right thing by giving their nurses access to information, although we have documented proof that Tenet violated the letter and spirit of the AGREEMENT. That so-called "ruling" was an opinion issued by a political appointee (management attorney) from a union busting law firm. Travesty or proud moment for truth, justice, and the American way?

[Nancy2]

Originally Posted by RN4MERCY

What about "corporate campaigns" conducted by hospital managers against nurses who try to advocate for their patients? Refusal to call in available staff, bullying and targeting nurses until they reach the breaking point in a hostile work environment and quit because of the perverted concept of "teamwork: we tell you what to do and you do it!" Good nurses, honest nurses, compassionate and highly educated and skilled nurses have left the profession in droves, but hospital corporations refuse to acknowlege any responsibility for their self-inflicted troubles attracting and retaining nurses. During initial hiring interviews nurses are asked about their knowledge of/feelings about unions. Where do the hospitals get the millions of dollars they spend on "union busters" anyway? Could it be from their income...money insurers and the government pays to reimburse for nursing care, or from patients who leave legacy money? Most bad outcomes in hospitals can be attributed to inadequate staffing and money that should be used to hire more nurses is used for bonuses, inflated executive salaries, advertising and layers of middle managers. Compassion is part and parcel of the Golden Rule and you bet we're going to continue to speak out in truth to prevent harm to our patients and our profession's ability to advocate. If we don't hang together then we'll most certainly be hanged as individuals!

You failed to answer my question. Do you have information regarding Roseanne's credentials or do you not. Nice try do divert attention, but I'd rether not get tangential.
Thank you.

[RN4MERCY]

[quote=Nancy2]You failed to answer my question. Do you have information regarding Roseanne's credentials or do you not. Nice try do divert attention, but I'd rether not get tangential.
Thank you.[/QUOTE]"Can you shed some light?
I fail to see the "compassion" in the corporate campaigns she is and has been leading on hopitals."
I thought I was answering your question thoughtfully and directly. Instead of engaging in debate you "bait and switch", blaming and accusing; Now you're asking about "credentials." The CNA Board of Directors, (who are all elected RNs who work for a living providing direct bedside care of patients), hired Rose Ann as their executive director. First of all, Rose Ann DeMoro's "credentials" must satisfy the Board of Directors! As a member of CNA I haven't found any fault with her leadership and ability to articulate and advocate for nurses and healthcare; or her ability to hire, fire, or otherwise educate and direct the staff. So, yes, I do have all the information I need regarding her education and experience. Are you going to be making a decision about whether or not to join us based on where she went to college? Ultimately, this thread is about the NNOC. Kudos to the Cook County Nurses who voted 2:1 in favor of joining a real national union for professional and patient advocacy. Welcome to the NNOC! All aboard for an RN lead proposal for Healthcare Reform!

[Sherwood]

[quote=RN4MERCY]

Originally Posted by Nancy2

You failed to answer my question. Do you have information regarding Roseanne's credentials or do you not. Nice try do divert attention, but I'd rether not get tangential.
Thank you.[/QUOTE]"Can you shed some light?
I fail to see the "compassion" in the corporate campaigns she is and has been leading on hopitals."
I thought I was answering your question thoughtfully and directly. Instead of engaging in debate you "bait and switch", blaming and accusing; Now you're asking about "credentials." The CNA Board of Directors, (who are all elected RNs who work for a living providing direct bedside care of patients), hired Rose Ann as their executive director. First of all, Rose Ann DeMoro's "credentials" must satisfy the Board of Directors! As a member of CNA I haven't found any fault with her leadership and ability to articulate and advocate for nurses and healthcare; or her ability to hire, fire, or otherwise educate and direct the staff. So, yes, I do have all the information I need regarding her education and experience. Are you going to be making a decision about whether or not to join us based on where she went to college? Ultimately, this thread is about the NNOC. Kudos to the Cook County Nurses who voted 2:1 in favor of joining a real national union for professional and patient advocacy. Welcome to the NNOC! All aboard for an RN lead proposal for Healthcare Reform!

You are the one who stated the Rose Ann Demoro was "University Educated"
It seems you have information that you chose not to share, or is it something you heard or was told and you just believe it?
If the NNOC wants to attract more nurses into their ranks shouldn't they have "all the information they want" as well? Shouldn't we all know the qualifications of the person that leads the California Nurses Association and the NNOC? Does she or the organization have something to hide? Do you have information that you choose not to share or were directed not to share?

[NRSKarenRN]

Originally Posted by Nancy2

Do you have information regarding Roseanne's credentials

Nurses Union Leader - Rose Ann DeMoro

http://people-link5.inch.com/piperma...25/015151.html

http://informedsources.blogspot.com/...s-you-are.html

http://w3.rn.com/ArticleFeatures.asp...News&f=Printer