Union

U.S.A. Louisiana

Published

Specializes in Emergency.

As we all know, Louisiana is last in almost everything, including health care. I am tired of killing myself everyday that I work in our health care system, broken as it is, for the little I get in return. Our pts are sicker than any other state in the nation as well as poorer and less educated. We know that these factors make for difficult patients and it makes our jobs tougher. We have no representation, no one on our side. Most of the time, other nurses are our biggest enemies. How nice would it be to have a union representing us and our interests? How many of you other nurses in Louisiana have thought this and would be into unionizing? How hard would it be? What do you guys think?

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Specializes in Emergency.

Really? Absolutely no one? Then no one gets to complain about the lousy working conditions and pay specific to our state if you can't be bothered to consider solutions!!

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I wish I had an informed reply to give you, but I am only a student in New Orleans. Unfortunately, I have had the "joy" of current nurse-acquaintances trying to deter me from joining the profession here. I realize there are problems with the system here that are a bit more abnormal than other places; however, I still want to go for it. Schools in the area seem to be graduating many students and I tend to wonder where they are now(mainly wondering if they just couldn't "hack" working at the bedside). I tell you, it scares me, but I hope it's all just individual hospital related and not city-wide. *Taking off the rose colored glasses now*

I hope others will respond. I know the good, I would like to know the bad also.

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I'm graduating in Dec as an RN, and I will be moving to New Orleans...alot of what I hear about NO nursing scares the hell out of me....although in my experience there are alot of unhappy nurses everywhere. Also some states do not allow "collective bargaining" within nurses...not sure if LA is one of those states, I can tell you that Arkansas, where I am currently in school, does not allow collective bargaining...and the pay here for nurses is lower than LA....although the cost of living is quite low also

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One thing I do know is that cost of living down here has gone waaaay up since Katrina/Rita. The major complaint from the nurses I know (aside from the hard to handle patients) is that their pay has not gone up enough to coincide with the inflated cost of living here. I don't know specifics, sorry.

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One thing I do know is that cost of living down here has gone waaaay up since Katrina/Rita. The major complaint from the nurses I know (aside from the hard to handle patients) is that their pay has not gone up enough to coincide with the inflated cost of living here. I don't know specifics, sorry.

Yeah, I saw that...I actually already moved there....kinda...the wife and I relocated to NO this summer, her job. I, however wanted to finish nursing school where I started so I came back solo. Everyone talks about how much housing has gone up...we have a small 2 bedroom in not the greatest area and it's 840

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I would love it, if we had a union here! im game!

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Specializes in Emergency.

You think it's true that the first nurses to initiate bringing the unions in are like lambs to the slaughter. Your career is over?

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the laws in louisiana are hire/fire at will

it will take a lot of work to establish unions but i believe that that is the only way to go esp if we are headed for universal health care then the patient load will go up and the pay scales stagnant

there is a thread for activist nurses check in on that and see if there are any grass roots efforts out there

if there is going to be change it will have to begin with us

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