Ok whats the deal? Union or not? (non-represented or union represented)

You'll join the union when you get hired. They send you an application along with your contract. l

Some hospitals are closed shop. That means you have no choice but to join. Others are open. That means you can either join or not.
I prefer to be unionized. No firing somebody on a whim.

Wanted to add that if you want to know what the area wages are, you can find contracts online.

I recently moved to Wa from Fl. The nurses are represented by a union. However it is "open shop". You get the same pay and benefits - to a point if you do not join. You do still have to pay the union an "administrative fee" if you do not join. As near as I can tell, the benefit is having someone at your back if something happens. Having been there done that, I decided to join after consideration of a couple of months.

What union do you belong to that you still have to pay an administrative fee? I have never heard of that and have worked in closed and open shops.

WSNA


Am I correct in calling it open shop as you do not have to join?? Its been years since I worked a union job.

Thanks

Well that stinks! We are currently SEIU 1199NW and we are being pressured to join WSNA. I think that is just wrong.
Yes, open means you do not have to join.

The nurses in Washington State should call the National Nurses United from the California Nurses Association, and get the ball started here.

WSNA is worse than worthless. SEIU 1199 is not much better. We would all be better off with the NNOC. WSNA turns into milktoast when the hospitals get nasty, and start to pay hard ball. What is worse, is that they convince the nurses to follow their lead. Some leadership!

WSNA has allowed take away after take away, of previously hard won raises, benefits, work place issues. All gone because WSNA refuses to be aggressive against management.

Look what the National Nurses United have done for the nurses in Calofornia- staffing ratios, pay raises, no take aways with new contracts, etc. It is a win win situation. They all joined together and faught against a horrible contract that the hospitals were trying to push on them. THEN, nurses in hospitals all over California were going to go out on strike all at once. THAT is power. The hospitals backed off, and the nurses got the contract they wanted. As long as nurses continue the, "martry mary", routine, NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE!!

The National Nurses United also have been able to unionize in traditional very anti union states- Texas, Florida, Arizona, and have gotten good contracts, benefits, workplace protection, etc.

If you want real change for nursing in the State of Washington, call the National Nurses United and get the ball rolling. I can help in Eastern Washington. PM me.

JMHO and my NY $0.02.
Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Somewhere in the PACNW

I've had nothing but support and help when I needed my union (seiu1199). I wouldn't call them worthless, at all...