Another reason unions suck!

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Trying to get a vacation as a new RN under a union regime is challenging at best. It's all seniority based. So the senior RNs can basically come and go as they choose. But that means the rest of us cannot be off (even though we don't cover each other or know each other's job). Also the silly union made a rule that managers cannot approve vacations to far out. So if someone knows they want a certain week 2 years from now, they cannot secure it and start booking flights or whatever. It's irritating at best.

Well, yea, Daddy would not be pleased if you did not.

Women can be in high positions of authority to. Just saying.

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Specializes in Critical care.

If there was a god I'd be thanking him. I have always worked in a union hospital and not in a right to work state. The dues is worth the protection.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
That is easy to say and while in the short run it may be nice, when you return and your job is gone and the entire hospital system has a "do not hire" tagged to your name, what will you do then? Increasingly hospital conglomerates are gobbling up the little guys and leaves the nurse little choice.

No doubt. While this is another topic altogether it is certainly worthy of it's own rant. We now have zero independent hospitals or clinics with the exception of the one clinic that is income based for billing and good luck getting an appointment there anytime soon. The last hospital holdout in a town 45 miles from me was bought out recently by one of the two systems that now own everything. If you manage to burn your bridges at one place your employment opportunities are greatly reduced in this area.

More on topic, this might be part of the reason the hospital nursing unions have no real teeth. I am sure that they are well aware of the employment climate should their members end up on the dreaded do not hire list.

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Women can be in high positions of authority to. Just saying.

Touché.

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Specializes in ICU.
That is one of the few things that union did that I agree with. They got rid of the pension and the employer contributes a flat 4.5% of my salary into my 401(k). So I can manage it as I see fit.

Sorry to hear that. Youre screwed if the economy tanks.

We have both a 403b with an employer match up to 4% and the insured DB retirement plan.

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Hmm, the patient advocates for themselves, and nurses advocates for patients.. NO UNIONS involved. Just speak up, and advocate. It's not the late 18th and early 19th century when unions not only had a time and place, but actually worked for their workers. Now, it is hit or miss as to whether you pay dues to a union that actually does work for the members, or is just a political faction working for itself. Since it is hit or miss, preferably I would like to advocate for myself and have others take (gee whiz) personal responsibility to advocate for themselves.

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Specializes in PeriOperative Nursing.

After leaving a union hospital, I am in the great state of Texas with few unions and an anti union atmosphere. It seems odd that everyone here hates them but only know about the "bad" side. They don't realize some great benefits. Here management can tell you the day before if they grant your time off or not even answer your request for vacation. NEVER in a union hospital. Some senior nurses get paid LESS than junior nurses because they "really really needed" the new hire. NEVER in a union hospital. Raises are merit based and evaluations are whitewashed so people can get the paltry 1-2% if you are "OUTSTANDING" The hospital grievance process is a joke and no one uses it. NEVER in a Union hospital. We lost so many nurses here that the patient ratios were dangerous. Finally, after multiple appeals through the VP staff got a raise to bring everyone to the "mid-market" Some staff got raises of 10,000$. not a paltry sum. NEVER would this happen in a union hospital. Staff are not relieved at the end of the shift, on my unit about 3-5 staff 3-4 times a week. Staff only get a meal break, because it is the only one required by law. Unit productivity was at 125% in December. Mandatory overtime- call staff are used to staff regular work. This is illegal, but there were "emergencies" that support the decision. Emergencies are part of the work and should be staffed to handle.

40 years ago is still here in the great state of Texas. I am appalled.

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Specializes in LTC, Medical, Rehab, Psych.

Nursing is a clock in/clock out shift job. The only way to get any autonomy with your work scheduling is to work per diem. I started out that way and I will never do anything else. So it's V-Day and I'm off today. Off all weekend. Off for every holiday (I worked NY Day for 1 & 1/2 time), take off for every kid school event, every b-day, every time I want to take a vacation. As long as I can plan 30 days in advance (to turn in availability calendar) I can have any day off I'd like. And I still manage to work an approximate 0.7-0.8 time and earn as much as a 1.0. It's worth it.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
After leaving a union hospital, I am in the great state of Texas with few unions and an anti union atmosphere. It seems odd that everyone here hates them but only know about the "bad" side. They don't realize some great benefits. Here management can tell you the day before if they grant your time off or not even answer your request for vacation. NEVER in a union hospital. Some senior nurses get paid LESS than junior nurses because they "really really needed" the new hire. NEVER in a union hospital. Raises are merit based and evaluations are whitewashed so people can get the paltry 1-2% if you are "OUTSTANDING" The hospital grievance process is a joke and no one uses it. NEVER in a Union hospital. We lost so many nurses here that the patient ratios were dangerous. Finally, after multiple appeals through the VP staff got a raise to bring everyone to the "mid-market" Some staff got raises of 10,000$. not a paltry sum. NEVER would this happen in a union hospital. Staff are not relieved at the end of the shift, on my unit about 3-5 staff 3-4 times a week. Staff only get a meal break, because it is the only one required by law. Unit productivity was at 125% in December. Mandatory overtime- call staff are used to staff regular work. This is illegal, but there were "emergencies" that support the decision. Emergencies are part of the work and should be staffed to handle.

40 years ago is still here in the great state of Texas. I am appalled.

Wage transparency is one thing the union hospitals do have that I wish we had. Talking specifics about wages is a big no-no where I work and nobody really knows if the new hire is making more an hour than the nurses that have been here for years without raises. A wage scale of any kind is nowhere to be found and the one nurse that pushed to see one is [shocker] no longer employed. She was fired on a ridiculously trumped up write up not long after becoming very vocal with her dissatisfaction on being denied access to seeing the corporate wage guidelines.

I am not as worried about unfair criteria being used for raises as we haven't seen one in a long time but when we did last get one it was an across the board percentage raise.

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The OP did ask for what he wanted, if I understand his opening story, and didn't get it. He blames the union-negotiated work rules for that. Hence, his rant.

Fair work rules aren't appropriately negotiated individually. Neither are base pay scales, step raises, working conditions or access to benefits.

I still say, good luck with that and keep your resume up to date, because you're a lot more likely to have to "strike" than not. Very few nurses are uniquely skilled enough to be irreplaceable or even nearly so. It's more likely to be cheaper to hand you your hat and hire a new grad.

Fair? Is what you pay to ride a bus. I don't expect fairness from profit-driven corporations and seeking such is why a lot of nurses are in the position that they're in.

Furthermore, I've never worked a job because I needed to, so I don't fear being replaced or handed my hat.

Anyways, Good Luck to the OP.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Depending on your work culture, you can advocate for your rights all you want. Without the protection of a union, your concerns will either be dismissed and/ or you may face termination.

That's the reality without a union, especially in the current climate where nurses are plentiful.

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Fair? Is what you pay to ride a bus. I don't expect fairness from profit-driven corporations and seeking such is why a lot of nurses are in the position that they're in.

Furthermore, I've never worked a job because I needed to, so I don't fear being replaced or handed my hat.

Anyways, Good Luck to the OP.

You're choosing to work as a CNA and you don't need to?

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