Calif RN disagrees with CNA in many ways. Am I alone?

Liddle Noodnik · Feb 26, 2005

Hello! I am new to this site but felt compelled to ask the question. Am I the only RN in Calif that disagrees with CNA's "teamster tactics" regarding important health care and nursing issues? These people do not represent me. I am NOT a memeber nor do I want to be. I have made job decisions based on whether I would have to belong to CNA. I find the leadership self-serving and power-drunk and I have since moving to Northern Cal in 1991. When CNA made the split with ANA it became very clear to me that CNA did not have my professional well being in mind. The union affiliations CNA have sought and gained make no sense to me. The hiring of Rose Ann DeMoro was the clincher. Anyway, I would love to hear from others who feel the same way since CNA has been successful in getting all over the press and running down the image of nurses as highly educated, skillfull and professional people.

Hi just to be clear, CNA is that Calif. Nurses Assoc, and ANA the American Nurses Assoc.? At first I thought "Certified Nurses Aide" and it didn't read right.

I'm in Maine so I'm not too familiar with what's happening in CA.

imkw_np · Feb 27, 2005

Hi just to be clear, CNA is that Calif. Nurses Assoc, and ANA the American Nurses Assoc.? At first I thought "Certified Nurses Aide" and it didn't read right.
I'm in Maine so I'm not too familiar with what's happening in CA.

Yes, CNA is the California Nurses Association...a collective bargaining organization with about 60,000 members in Calif.

fergus51 · Feb 27, 2005

I prefer a unionized workplace, so I sought that out when looking for employment. If you aren't a member, they don't represent you so you should have nothing to fear about anything they do that you disagree with.

allnurses Guide · Feb 27, 2005

imkw-np . . . I am a RN in Northern California and feel as you do. It is funny but I agree that sometimes I feel outnumbered.

I also agree with you about CNA and ANA. The problem with looking the other way when these organizations act is that the public thinks they represent ALL nurses and they don't. Like the brouhaha with Arnold. Like the support they gave John Kerry. We had a debate here in during the election about ANA making posters with "Nurses Support Kerry" . . or something like that and I protested because it makes it sound like ALL nurses supported him. There was also a bill here in CA and a commercial for it said "stand together with nurses" . . like we all vote in a block.

So, yeah, it is frustrating. And I hear you. :)

steph

imkw_np · Feb 27, 2005

I prefer a unionized workplace, so I sought that out when looking for employment. If you aren't a member, they don't represent you so you should have nothing to fear about anything they do that you disagree with.

I don't fear them. I object to their public behavior because it reflects badly on nursing. I don't believe the CNA leadership has the nursing profession's best interests as their central mission. Expanding membership, collecting dues and partnering with other "service unions" seem to be the top priorities. Strong-arm tactics and blatent rudeness do not advance our profession. Nor do they lend a strong and intelligent voice to vital health care issues which nursing must speak to. The staffing ratios legislation was a great victory for nursing and for patient safety but haggling over the delay in further reducing from 6:1 to 5:1 is not necessary.

Sheri257 · Feb 27, 2005

The staffing ratios legislation was a great victory for nursing and for patient safety but haggling over the delay in further reducing from 6:1 to 5:1 is not necessary.

I believe it's important to protest that. Not because just because of the 6:1 to 5:1 delay, but to send a strong message that they shouldn't go any further.

Let's face it: If CNA hadn't made such a big stink, Schwarzenegger probably would have gone a lot further and eventually repealed the ratios all together. Now, I think he will be really reluctant to do anything more against ratios because of CNA's protests and all of the publicity they've gotten.

Keep in mind that several states have considered ratio legislation and all them have failed because of hospital lobbying power. You do have to give CNA credit for the ratio law. Sometimes it takes an aggressive organization to get anything done and, they're the only ones who have pulled it off.

Maybe you guys don't like some of the things CNA does but, the ratio law sure has made working conditions better for all RNs, union or non-union.

:coollook:

fergus51 · Feb 27, 2005

Sorry, I didn't mean you actually feared them. I just meant I wouldn't worry that an organization that doesn't represent me will reflect on me, so I hope you won't either. I know Steph's thoughts about things like "Nurses for Kerry", but I give the general public more credit. When they hear "Vietnam vets for _____" or "Teachers for____" I think they know it doesn't mean ALL of them. In that same vein I don't think the general public even knows much about CNA, let alone believe that they represent all nurses.

I for one am pretty grateful that CNA got ratios established. It was one of the main drawing points for me to come to California and I really like it here. If not for that I probably would have gone back to Washington and missed out on the beauty of California:)

alintanurse · Feb 28, 2005

I don't always agree with CNA's tactics and I'm not a member,but I am glad that they are very vocal about the nurse-patient ratio.I live in northern california.

pickledpepperRN · Mar 2, 2005

To avoid confusion the ANA has not responded to the California Governors actions or statements.

CNA did not support Kerry

http://www.arnoldwatch.org/

If you want to help pay for Arnold's special election campaign this November - in addition to the $70 million in involuntary taxpayer costs you'll pick up for this unscheduled ballot - here's how you can do it.

For $100K you can gab with the gov at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. For $89,200 you can meet with Arnold at the Century Plaza in LA. All you need for access is the cash. The full list of invites from Arnold's nationwide Dash for Cash can be downloaded at: http://arnoldwatch.org/political_reform/marchforcash.pdf

http://www.calnurses.org

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Mar 2, 2005

in 1995, members of the california nurses association (cna) became increasingly concerned that the voices of staff nurses were not being heard by their board of directors nor was enough time and effort put into collective bargining activites and representation. so cna elected to seceed from being a member of ana's state associations (now called constituent associations ). this group main focus is collective bargaining.

a new organization was formed in 1996 called ana\c www.anacalifornia.org to retain ties to ana. it's focus is to lead the profession of nursing in fulfilling it's commitment to excellence in practice, education, research, and social policy. workplace advocacy is under the auspices of the center for american nursing (can) with main interests of

when i was at ana convention in 94 + 96, many members expressed concern that strong arm intimidating tatics + militency might occur in the new union as cna develops. time seems to have proven itself. there is a clear difference between negotiation and bullying and its the later i'm seeing from recent cna press reports + media coverage.

fergus51 · Mar 2, 2005

At least they get results. I find it kind of funny that there is apparently no middle ground. The ANA = elitist pencil pushers who never set foot at a bedside. CNA = unprofessional teamster wannabes. Can't please everyone I guess.....