Time off

[Hardknox]

I am wondering if nurses in other facilities are denied days off and vacation time like we are where I work?. We have a union contract which has very clear parameters about being denied requested time off ( time which we have earned.) However. the manager states that no one can have time off because there is not enough staff. She is supposed to tell us this before the time comes out, but instead we open the time book and she has scheduled us to work without telling us beforehand that time off has been denied. We often don't get lunch or breaks and are told to put in for overtime for our lunch.

We can put in a grievance with the union, but we have to work the time and then grieve the problem Morale is VERY low and people have taken to calling in sick rather than asking for planned earned time off. Even if a nurse finds a replacement she is often told that they need her and her replacement.And they wonder why there's a nursing shortage?

The MNA union can't seem to help dispite the unsafe staffing reports and grievances. Any input?