A New National Union for ANA?

[Julia RN]

Looks like a do-over.

From The Pulse, the official publication of the Montana Nurses Association at

http://nursingald.com/uploads/newsletters/MT122008.pdf

Excerpt from executive director, Robert Allen, Address to the House of Delegates- October 2, 2008:

"So what does the future hold?...

The eight states who disaffiliated from the UAN have found some significant support in one another and, as the coalition continues talks, to keep each state informed of important issues, advances in advocacy, and through that, the dream of bringing forth a national entity which could unify the labor voice of the eight states and those who might follow....

I see Montana being a founding member of a new national union of federated states who share core values and a unified long term vision for nursing--a federation of states who take direction from the membership and who promote a strong ANA and strong CMAs."

BTW- I'm a member of one of these "states" and this is the first I'm hearing of this plan...

At one time, I believed it could be done, but experience has shown me that "ANA Union" is an oxymoron.

[Chico David, BSN, RN]

Yeah, California nurses have it really tough - with the highest pay and best benefits anywhere, a staffing ratio law that not only protects our practice and our patients, but has kept us from being laid off in tough economic times like nurses in so many other places, legal protection for our right to act as patient advocates, legal protection from being fired for reporting illegal practices by out employer. All of those due to CNA/NNOC - now NNU - activism and leadership. Sure wish I live somewhere where I could be "free" of all that.

As to salary levels, put it in perspective: The CEO at the modest sized rural "non-profit" hospital where I work makes a salary 3 times that of the Executive director of our union who provided the vision and leadership to make all of the above possible. Her salary looks like quite a bargain. And what I've spent on dues has come back to me about 10 times over in the increased salary and benefits we've won since we organized our hospital almost ten years ago.

[PICUPNP]

Iknow, Iknow...the unions have provided a nirvana for everyone in California......

[herring_RN, ASN, BSN]

Iknow, Iknow...the unions have provided a nirvana for everyone in California......

No they did not.

Nursing is still challenging.

But it sure is nice to have time to truly provide the care our patients need.

...Our agreements are noted for enhancing the collective voice of RNs in patient care decisions through our Professional Practice Committees and Assignment Despite Objection documentation system, (see page 16).

We believe that a strong professional RN union empowers us to take our patient advocacy from the bedside to the statehouse and beyond. We have repeatedly stepped outside the walls of our facilities, whether it is our 13-year fight to win and defend California’s safe staffing ratios or forming the Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN) and sending more than 300 RNs to hospitals and clinics on the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina....

http://www.calnurses.org/assets/pdf/nnoc_101.pdf