Who here currently belongs to, or has been affiliated with a nurse union

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Aug 6, 2004

All the RNs where I work are members of the Oregon Nurses' Association, and by extension, ANA. I've worked in both unionized and non-union hospitals, and I definitely prefer a union shop, even though I'm not particularly involved in the political or collective bargaining processes. As a union member I enjoy a number of rights in the workplace that non-union employees don't have.......basically, the employer has to be fair in its dealings with us. They can't just change our schedules willy-nilly, or decide not to pay us overtime, or transfer us to another unit just because some manager doesn't like us. In a non-union hospital, there are NO such guarantees........and in today's anti-labor political atmosphere, we need as much help as we can get.

Just my two cents' worth. :)

Carotid · Aug 6, 2004

They can't just change our schedules willy-nilly, or decide not to pay us overtime, or transfer us to another unit just because some manager doesn't like us.

it's hard for me to fathom that that kind of oversight occurs to the nation's #1 career shortage.

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Aug 6, 2004

it's hard for me to fathom that that kind of oversight occurs to the nation's #1 career shortage.

It's usually not oversight - just flat out vindictiveness. Unions protect from a lot of crap like that from what I hear. Hospitals do not care that there is a shortage. Nurses are nothing but an expense as far as they are concerned. If they thought they could function without us, they would try it.

This was evidenced several years ago, when they actually thought that they could do without us and have "unlicensed assistive personnel" do our jobs and maybe have a couple of nurses around to handle the paperwork. Well, malpractice attorneys got rich, health insurance premiums skyrocketed, and hospitals started looking under rugs and behind trees for the nurses that they had just downsized - turns out we are good for more than just sucking up their precious profits. We actually make a difference in patient outcomes. (DUH!!!)

mattsmom81 · Aug 6, 2004

I'm currently in a non union area and greatly miss my union environment for all the reasons the 2 previous posters stated. :)

NeuroICURN · Aug 6, 2004

There is another discussion about this going in a threat entitled "What Unions".

To save a lot of typing, see the info. regarding my union there.

Thanks!

llg, PhD, RN · Aug 6, 2004

I've worked in a hospital with a union and several without. I prefer to work in places without a union, but understand that they are sometimes necessary.

In the place I worked with a union, the atmosphere was one of "us vs. them" on both sides and I didn't like that atmosphere. Each side thought the other side was trying to take advantage of them and there was an adversarial relationship. I have rarely found that much negativity in the non-unionized hospitals -- though I understand that it can exist there, too.

llg

RNonsense · Aug 7, 2004

British Columbia Nurses Union here. Also the CNA. I can't imagine working for a non-union facility! :uhoh21:

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Aug 7, 2004

it's hard for me to fathom that that kind of oversight occurs to the nation's #1 career shortage.

Carotid, are you a nurse?

Carotid · Aug 7, 2004

i'm and ER/Trauma RN in Columbia, SC. i just can't imagine the lack of respect that you guys aren't getting, being professionals! our administration and doctors practically play golf with us on our days off!