Nursing Unions-what is the good,bad, ugly?

steelydanfan · Jun 17, 2010

They have reduced those pensions because they are going bankrupt. It is either reduce the pensions or go belly-up and lose the pension completely.

And what have YOU been smoking? Not ONE health care consortium has declared bankruptcy, and if you do a little homework; you will find that HCA, HCW, TENENT, CHW and the rest have all done QUITE well this year; on YOUR back.

Get a grip, people; you CANNOT be replaced, YOU CANNOT be downsized. The hospitals cannot function without you.

We, collectively have the power to shut down this country's health care system if we all agreed to strike for 1 day!

There are not enough scab nurses to replace us!

Do not ever think you do not have power,; you just have to be willing to use it!

worldtraveler · Jun 17, 2010

Steelydanfan---Truer words were never spoken!

NJMEDguy48 · Oct 22, 2010

From a different perspective MAYBE.... Having been in union and non-union shops G-O U-N-I-O-N....... Why? Government is all over the "new" health care. Look at all the great benefits and perks government workers get that have NO real continuem education (not all some)...... If you think any government job is gonna screw you like the way current admins do you are wrong! Oh wait, in NJ they made the state workers take days off without pay wowwww another week off w/out pay so they get to get to spend extra time off with there family or work at there part time job to make more than I can in public sector for a week cause I have to pay taxes to support there Health care! They still get great Ben's that no-one in private sector can dream of.... Oh wait that is if they are considered non essential.. (If non essential what the heck am I payin taxes for them anyway!).. Wake up Nurses get into UNIONS NOW.

You will have the young healthy private sector of america by the kihunas.......There will be so many government sit on there butt workers in health care paper pushers and the politicians are not gonna let there kroney's hang out to dry like the current administrators of non union hospitals do. Also yes unions can afford lawyers and Washington DC lobbyists. Hint.......Work 8 hr days for government hospital 5 days a week, leave your troubles when u punch out. Start your own job on the side or go work in the surg. centers part time that will pay you more per hr (cauz they do not have to pay the ben's and perks u already have from the gov't job) doing non elective surgeries (boob jobs) that the wealthy pay for in full out of pocket (guess whom that is). Get tenure retire in 25-30 with full bene's turn your part time job into full time career u love...... Oh the shlubs like me now (not for long though) don't worry, what is another trillion in debt as long as I have a JOB........

I should have learned alot earlier...... Do not fight city hall, learn how to legally extort like them....At least you will have food on your table. roof over your head and health care for your family. Sorry F. Nightingale it's 2010 and a global economy with lot's of global nurses coming to take my lively hood..... Show me the MONEY.......

GO UNION!!!

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Oct 23, 2010

How much are the union dues?? There is a good chance the place I work at will be going union, and I need to know what it is going to cost me.

I don't know about nursing unions, but I recently applied for a seasonal job at UPS. Getting hired means joining the Teamsters, who charge a $600 initiation fee ($45 per check for 14 weeks) and monthly dues of 2.5 times your hourly wage. It's a lot to ask from someone who works 20 hours a week for $8.50-$9.50 per hour.

NJMEDguy48 · Oct 23, 2010

I don't know about nursing unions, but I recently applied for a seasonal job at UPS. Getting hired means joining the Teamsters, who charge a $600 initiation fee ($45 per check for 14 weeks) and monthly dues of 2.5 times your hourly wage. It's a lot to ask from someone who works 20 hours a week for $8.50-$9.50 per hour.

WOWWW I could not have asked anyone better to segway into why If I was a nurse I would want to be in a union. I used to work for UPS when I was 18p/t thought the union dues were alot then too... Should have stayed with them.. I just met a co worker after 30 years.True story I used to work with him in Wall twp NJ (Dun Roamin rd before they moved to new facility in eatontown). He is only 48 as well... just retired a millionaire between stock cash out and retirement package benfs etc. (oh yeah they try to push out older employees for a fresh pair of cheaper legs but the union always stuck up for him. cauze he didn't do anything wrong but got a litttle older) Besides owning own home and 2nd kid in college. He started a p/t bussiness 8 years ago that is thriving today as well..Home inspection co. He grosses 4500 a week (spouse is his sec) RIGHT NOW in a bad economy (5 days tue sat 8-5)....but he said to me could not have done it with out a union because when things got tight he knew he had a job........."Was it easy" I asked.. I knew it wasn't I remember sweating in the trucks. "Hell No" he said. But it is a lot easier now.......

Me, I am 48 battered and very bruised many sucesses in life many failures I could have had the same successes and probably eliminated many of the failures.........if I was in the union.... I never was lazy and I do not know many nurses that are. Just my opinion from both sides

NJMEDguy48 · Oct 23, 2010

Ok NURSES now for the kicker...And I will only talk about NJ. Look around you at the Doctors and Administrators. They are not starving OLD or NEW. Is it a job I would want probaly not. But I have seen many of them from the inside Inside there homes, family and financials. They work hard and make good money, They also invest. whether it be in real estate - surgery centers - homeopathic med factories, homes for the elders or even homes for those in step programs and other businesses. I have seen it all. You nurses work just as hard as them YOU DO! dare I say harder. You will never see the big $ they do after they finish the residency. Starting a union will bring things to a more level playing field and garner respect TO ALL equally. Yes Doctors are getting better some are still ice agish still. But what about the administrators (lawyers, old doctors, politicians) they are NOW and WILL be in your future. Do not trust them. It is all about $ and power. Yep I know plenty of nurses that cow down to them and are given many more oppportunities than other deserved nurses because of the "I know this person" mentality and it is going to get worse! Much. wait till the new health care kicks in...... Oh and BTW the admins of the hospital (Do not think they have not put other businesses they own or partnered with and positioned themselves to take what advantages there may be in the new health care) so wake up! Be a nurse for the right reasons. Yes because you care....But you and your family do not deserve to be treated as non equals as you may be! Lastly, Hang out at the lunch room around the surgery areas (doc,s making the big dough! pay attention to business opps floating out there. Be careful some nurses have lost there shirt. But be aware there are opps for you and your family...... I have chatted a lot about business here YUKKK.... Please be a nurse for the right reason But do not fool yourself Life is a business it is 2010 start treating yourself like a CEO (you do not have to be a Bernie Madoff ) and you will create opportunities that you never thought were possible.

Kuryakyn · Oct 23, 2010

Hey BamaBound and for other unhappy nurses as well who dislike unions--if you aren't happy with the hard earned Benefits Union Nurses enjoy why not simply refuse the benefits(higher salaries, Seniority rights on shift &vacation preference, increased vacation time, Floating, lower nurse patient ratios, increased educational benefits and pensions plans) ? Oh and when you turn 62 years old(66 in some cases) simply refuse Social Security and Medicare (also the GI Bill of Rights for returning servicemen & women in which Unions were instrumental in attaining way back when) as the Unions were very instrumental in developing these programs(SS/Medicare) as well back in the late 30s early 40s ...

The con side of unions is that they protect the lazy with their senority rights, unless you are unionized in a RTW state you have to pay dues, there is a great chance of having to abandon your patients during a strike or face the music from colleagues, your dues are used to finance political campaigns regardless of your own political views(most if not all unions vote Democrat), boss rose of the cna makes about $200K/yrly courtesy of You!, and they're not needed. Just say No to unions and Yes to RTW!!!!!

NJMEDguy48 · Oct 23, 2010

The con side of unions is that they protect the lazy with their senority rights, unless you are unionized in a RTW state you have to pay dues, there is a great chance of having to abandon your patients during a strike or face the music from colleagues, your dues are used to finance political campaigns regardless of your own political views(most if not all unions vote Democrat), boss rose of the cna makes about $200K/yrly courtesy of You!, and they're not needed. Just say No to unions and Yes to RTW!!!!!

Great points in this post. I guess. I am not so sure about the statement of the Lazy nurse, Whether union or not if a nurse is not doing there job or harming a patient Document! and put forth to the proper persons and I would hope it will be addressed equally and fairly as the hospital willl have esq firm so the individual being accused should as well. Are ALL union nurses lazy? . As far as DEMS VS REP Come to central NJ and you will see a large number of Admins that are REP and DEMS it is a $ elitist thing more than anything else. Look at the Admins Real salary see what they are all about "BUSINESS" ... Look at the Admins salary in the Union controlled Education system. Do you think it is just the Teachers/Nurses fault. Look at the ADMINS and all the ancillary staff that they surround themselves with. Are they essential!.....Whom is paying for them....

Teachers & Nurses that are titled MA/BS/PN Should they be paid the most? I am not so sure maybe it should be part of the pay scale system though. But the only thing PLEASE there are poor nurses that become very educated just cauze the letters = greater pay. I know some of them and I would not want them touching me or educating my kid.....Oh and by the way look at the public higher education thing as well Look at all the Board members there..... ESQ, POL and OLD DR'S Could they be part of the "BOYZ/GRLZ CLUB". How come when they say shortage they are not getting more educators. Maybe because they do not want more nurses as it could possibly hurt there control and there personal bottom line. Again in central NJ a couple years ago Huge hospital of a huge system got snagged extorted millions and millions of big money through medicaid/medicare and now the Administrator of the same "Thriving " (yeah right) school system (Mr Ritacco) Funny same TOWN! is being a accused for his possible role in theft of millions. Do you think a front line teacher can do that. NO neither can a front line Nurse.

As far as your point of CNA pres making $200,000 may I ask the union he/she heads? The state and what if any changes they made for the CNA plus or neg? Have they made health care better for the patient? Please respond as I really do want to be better educated regarding this stuff.......... Honestly!

NJMEDguy48 · Oct 23, 2010

Hello, I love this topic !

Friend of mine whom read this post and called me to remind me... (He hates Unions, His wife Luvs them) He wanted to remind me about two very interesting situations going on right now in our New Economy.... How come public tax breaks (construction and business loans are going) to Surgery Centers that treat only insured patients (across the street from hospital that has to treat all) and Charter schools are being constructed (right across from public schools that educate all)... What are the salaries being paid to the front line persons and what are paid to the "owners/administrators" in relation and percentage to each other! There are many "Techs" in each. I am curious as I do not know the figure... How many actual MED Surge RN's do they hire and have on staff full time w/full Bens at surgery centers? Is every employee offered the same Ben's and ret packages in the Centers as Hospital. Should they be? How many Surg centers pay the p/t nurse really good salaries because they already have jobs and ben's at Public hospitals at the publics expense (that we contribute to as tax payers as they receive federal/state tax dollars to "operate"). Wowwww i still do not know Would I want to be Union or Not...... Yes I want to nurse... But I want to be compensated fairly...... I deserve that.

enchantmentdis, BSN, RN · Oct 23, 2010

While i was being asked to resign from a job while the union rep was present in HR department, the rep told me --"don't worry, that other nurse who was in here before you was also fired--do you know her?". I have never had a favorable experience with union representatives. They gossip just like everyone else and they usually back down to HR and hospital administration. They are ineffective at saving a nurse her job if management is present in the meeting with HR.

NJMEDguy48 · Oct 23, 2010

OMGoodness.... Why were you "released" without getting to specific? Were You a RN at the time?

OttawaRPN · Oct 23, 2010

While i was being asked to resign from a job while the union rep was present in HR department, the rep told me --"don't worry, that other nurse who was in here before you was also fired--do you know her?". I have never had a favorable experience with union representatives. They gossip just like everyone else and they usually back down to HR and hospital administration. They are ineffective at saving a nurse her job if management is present in the meeting with HR.

I have seen many nurses jobs saved by union intervention, predominately those that involve management simply looking to do away with a "trouble-making" nurse by engaging in various forms of scheming, framing, debauchery, blackmailing, you name it (trouble-making defined as doing anything other than obediently doing as your told.) Oh, the stories I could tell you, you would be repulsed. Management uses and abuses staff for their own personal and professional gain, we already know that, but if it wasn't for strong and consistent union support well... dare I say Canadian nurses would be in the same dire predicament as my non-unionized American colleagues who are forced to compromise their principles, dignity and safety for fear of being thrown out on the street unnecessarily. I used to b!tch and complain about my union(s) but no more... not while I'm shaking my head in amazement at some of the crap I'm reading on this forum.