[dmkm2001]

I would have to say the main reason I would not join is the stance on abortion and the support of it. Speaking about CNA. If they at least took a nutral stand, I would be more apt to join.

The other reason, Unions are terrible at correcting their own. If they would take a stand against lazy incompetent staff and nurses and not allow it to become a managment issue, I would consider joining. I do not like being associated with lazy losers. I KNOW THAT NOT ALL ARE !!! BUT to me, it seems to be a breeding ground for the lazy to hide and flurish.

I do not like an additional layer of beuracracy. It's bad enough dealing with managment, but then you have to go through the union. It takes years for some things to change when it could take days otherwise.

[herring_RN]

CNA advocates education and counseling of women regarding pregnancy and birth control methods in an effort to reduce the need for abortion.

CNA knows nurses hold moral, ethical and/or religious beliefs that may compel them to refuse involvement with abortions. CNA supports the nurse's right to exercise this refusal.

It is managements job to hire and supervise workers, including nurses.
It is not the job of the union.
Whe incompetent or lazy nurses are allowed to complete their probationary period it is managements job to manage.

It is the unions role to ensure due process and that discipline is for just cause.

[dmkm2001]

I agree with your response about managers needing to manage. But why do the unions have to protect the dead beats? Why can't they work in conjuction to ensure that the lazy ones are dealt with? I think we all know that everyone can be on their best behavior for a little while and then become jaded or the true person comes out. It's a double edge sword when hiring, you need the staff and you try to give the benifit of doubt but then you get stuck. I still think the unions should police their own, after all they are a representaion of the union.

I respect your responce to the regarding the CNA stance on abortion etc. I can hold a different view, but I can not give money knowing this will work against my conviction.

[Truth66]

Originally Posted by dmkm2001

I agree with your response about managers needing to manage. But why do the unions have to protect the dead beats? Why can't they work in conjuction to ensure that the lazy ones are dealt with? I think we all know that everyone can be on their best behavior for a little while and then become jaded or the true person comes out. It's a double edge sword when hiring, you need the staff and you try to give the benifit of doubt but then you get stuck. I still think the unions should police their own, after all they are a representaion of the union.

I respect your responce to the regarding the CNA stance on abortion etc. I can hold a different view, but I can not give money knowing this will work against my conviction.

I totally agree that Unions should be policing their own. I recall that we had one nurse who was one of the worst bullies that I've ever worked with. Because management wouldn't deal with her conduct and labour officials wouldn't represent the workers who were being bullied it created a very toxic work environment. Eventually the other workers started to say that if management isn't going to deal with her and the union isn't going to represent us, then we'll deal with her. This created a mobbing mentality of the other staff and it was now so far out of controll that violence ran wild in that facility. I recall the union president stating that, "we will not help managment discipline one of our own", when questioned why nothing wasn't being done about this bully.
So the unfortunate reality in some cases is that lazy labour officials can actually create and fuel violence in the workplace.

[herring_RN]

Originally Posted by Truth66

I totally agree that Unions should be policing their own. I recall that we had one nurse who was one of the worst bullies that I've ever worked with. Because management wouldn't deal with her conduct and labour officials wouldn't represent the workers who were being bullied it created a very toxic work environment. Eventually the other workers started to say that if management isn't going to deal with her and the union isn't going to represent us, then we'll deal with her. This created a mobbing mentality of the other staff and it was now so far out of controll that violence ran wild in that facility. I recall the union president stating that, "we will not help managment discipline one of our own", when questioned why nothing wasn't being done about this bully.
So the unfortunate reality in some cases is that lazy labour officials can actually create and fuel violence in the workplace.

I am very sorry you had to suffer this.

With my union WE would work together to document the events that interfere with our obligation to our patients.
As a group and in writing we would go to all levels of management.

Collective action in unity on the unit and facility level on behalf of our patients would provide an alternative to the "mob mentality".

http://www.nlrb.gov/about_us/overvie...tions_act.aspx

[Ludlow]

I've worked at union and non-union hospitals. The character of the nurses and their work ethics were the same at both. I just appreciate that at the union hospital, my rights are protected.

I don't think I exaggerate when I say that if management is looking for something to pin on you, they can find it on any nurse. None of us get our paperwork to a 't' 100% of the time; mostly because we take the time to actually care for our patients. None of us know all the details of all the policies of the hospital. So when management decides to fire you, they find one of these technicalities and give you your walking papers. With a union, management HAS to show just cause.

If there is just cause, then you have no case, and you're gone. But I have seen many times when management had to reverse its decision to discipline or fire a nurse because they could not show that the nurse was worthy of discipline.

In a non-union hospital you are just gone. Period. Call the boss, cry, cajole, give all the reasons you can think of why you should not be fired, it doesn't matter. You are an 'at will' employee and when it suits them, management can dispense with you, no questions asked.

My union, CNA/NNOC protects my job as well as is on the front lines of finding ways to protect my patients. I wouldn't go to work without my union membership!

[Truth66]

Originally Posted by Ludlow

I've worked at union and non-union hospitals. The character of the nurses and their work ethics were the same at both. I just appreciate that at the union hospital, my rights are protected.

I don't think I exaggerate when I say that if management is looking for something to pin on you, they can find it on any nurse. None of us get our paperwork to a 't' 100% of the time; mostly because we take the time to actually care for our patients. None of us know all the details of all the policies of the hospital. So when management decides to fire you, they find one of these technicalities and give you your walking papers. With a union, management HAS to show just cause.

If there is just cause, then you have no case, and you're gone. But I have seen many times when management had to reverse its decision to discipline or fire a nurse because they could not show that the nurse was worthy of discipline.

In a non-union hospital you are just gone. Period. Call the boss, cry, cajole, give all the reasons you can think of why you should not be fired, it doesn't matter. You are an 'at will' employee and when it suits them, management can dispense with you, no questions asked.

My union, CNA/NNOC protects my job as well as is on the front lines of finding ways to protect my patients. I wouldn't go to work without my union membership!

Sounds like you have a great union. Consider your self lucky. Our bargaining unit has gone through a couple of labour organizations now because the members were fed up with such lousy representation and voted to get rid of the union to switch for what we thought would be a better one. Each time the representation has gotten worse to the point where union officials have actually teamed up with management to get rid of workers they thought would cause ripples in the status quo of ongoing harassment, expoitation, bullying, etc.

[Ludlow]

Originally Posted by Truth66

Sounds like you have a great union. Consider your self lucky. Our bargaining unit has gone through a couple of labour organizations now because the members were fed up with such lousy representation and voted to get rid of the union to switch for what we thought would be a better one. Each time the representation has gotten worse to the point where union officials have actually teamed up with management to get rid of workers they thought would cause ripples in the status quo of ongoing harassment, expoitation, bullying, etc.

Give CNA/NNOC a call. You too can join the movement that is protecting and empowering nurses and bringing health care justice to the US. http://www.calnurses.org/nnoc/

[Peggyfaye]

After working for 26 yrs. in a non-union hospital, our nurses want the union in. Unfair firing of older nurses, who are good ones & have dared to speak up. Firing or demoting nurses who have legitimate medical LOA's. People who are outspoken & are fired by 3rd hand stories & lies about them. New grads being hired as Charge nurses,when qualified nurses on that unit have applied. Managers who are sexual predators. Working 3-4 nurses short every shift in a busy ED. Outsiders being hired for jobs that people who are employed in-house applied & are qualified for.
When I worked across town at the union hospital, the nurses were more satisfied. yes, there were some that could not be fired, but that is also true of this non-union corporation hospital with its Catholic dogma. I got a written warning from my mgr. when I asked the administrator in an "open forum", "How can we provide excellent pt. care, when there is no care from this administration for us, including the CNAs, techs, EMTs?"
At this point, is there any other choice???

[Ludlow]

Originally Posted by Peggyfaye

After working for 26 yrs. in a non-union hospital, our nurses want the union in. Unfair firing of older nurses, who are good ones & have dared to speak up. Firing or demoting nurses who have legitimate medical LOA's. People who are outspoken & are fired by 3rd hand stories & lies about them. New grads being hired as Charge nurses,when qualified nurses on that unit have applied. Managers who are sexual predators. Working 3-4 nurses short every shift in a busy ED. Outsiders being hired for jobs that people who are employed in-house applied & are qualified for.
When I worked across town at the union hospital, the nurses were more satisfied. yes, there were some that could not be fired, but that is also true of this non-union corporation hospital with its Catholic dogma. I got a written warning from my mgr. when I asked the administrator in an "open forum", "How can we provide excellent pt. care, when there is no care from this administration for us, including the CNAs, techs, EMTs?"
At this point, is there any other choice???

Yikes! I am sorry your employer is so dumb. Go to the NNOC site and see if you'd like to join up with us.