CEO's/Hosp.'s making millions off of our work:(

[sassyspot]

I've been a nurse for many years and have been through many nursing shortages (that's right history does indeed repeat itself over and over again). The one thing that all of these nursing shortages have in common is the fact that not once has the shortage resulted in bringing nurses together to form collective bargaining units to increase their wages. Each time this has happened the hospital organizations and thier investors and Ceo's have come out filthy rich. The nurses on the otherr hancdo not even see a decent increase in pay. This is sad, since these hospitals co function uld not without us! Maybe it's time for nurses to come to grips with their self esteem issues and seek help for professional organizing. These hospital Corp. do not care one bit to put you in a position of overwork, underpay and just sheer exhaustion- to the point that you become dangerous and then abandon you when you make a mistake. Theses organizations do not care who you are or what you do, as long as you are a warm body generating revenue for them. How many nurses have you heard of that make million dollar salaries for doing the work that we do? Maybe it's time for Nurse/Healthcare worker owned and operated facilities! Removing the greedy CEO's and boards of director would absolutely change the direction of our profession and institutions. After all these Corp. are Never to bi to fail and they couldn't even operate if we as a group would stick together. Our profession has tried all other options, why not try collective/group bargaining?:)

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

I have seen twice, and first hand, what happens to a good nurse who tries to bring in a union. One had called the SEIU and one had called the NNOC. Both nurses were top notch ICU nurses. All they wanted to achieve was safe staffing. Both were harassed, terminated and blackballed from working at every hospital in the region. Yes, that is illegal but it always happens.

Unions are a polarizing topic, like immigration, abortion, and national politics. It is impossible to bring in a union without management finding out who called them. Someone will report you based on their belief that unions are the downfall of the US economy.

If I was younger, I would move to California. I have heard that at Stanford they provide break nurses whose job it is to take your group while you take your break and you can not say no.

I will be interested to see the results of your poll.

[No Stars In My Eyes]

Somehow I tend to doubt that it could come to the point where people would be behind us; some mistakenly think that nurses already earn money hand-over-fist.

In other past threads on the subject here on AN and other forums, the bickering about organizing reached close to the same level of personal ugliness (attitude) as the overweary debate of (dang it, do I have to say it?) ADN vs BSN.

Looking at the poll results reveals a very optimistic and hopeful bunch. Good. Maybe this new generation can accomplish something.

[Mulan]

If everyone united, they could close things down, just like if all the truckers united they could close things down, but you can hardly get two people to agree on anything.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

I guess it would take someone who didn't need their job and could afford to lose it. It's true many times nurses are illegally fired during the initiation process of getting a union in a facility. The NLRB will rule on it but years can go by before the nurse would get any back pay. I would applaud such a daring individual who had the guts and ability to make unionization happen. If you do go with a proven voice for nurses like the National Nurses United! I'm very impressed with what they have accomplished in CA with patient ratios and I know they have been branching out to other states!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Attitudes about unionization tend to be regional. In general, nurses in the Southeast, Lower Midwest (Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma) and Texas seem to vehemently oppose unions. On the other hand, nurses in the Northeast, upper Midwest (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan) and the West Coast seem to favor unions.

I am originally from the West Coast. Having moved to a more centrally located state, I admit I experienced culture shock when listening to RNs talk badly about unions when these same nurses were earning the whopping wage of $18.65 hourly at a major medical center and teaching facility.

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

Who's going to be first?

I view organizing a union as a military battle. When the nurses (advancing army) try to take an assett from the defending army, (CEO, board, directors) the forward troops are going to get slaughtered.

In other words, as icuRNmaggie pointed out, whoever attempts to organize will probably lose their job. Union organizing can only work, if every single nurse behind those who lead, are willing to follow the few out to the unemployment line.

[LoyalWeim]

TheCommuter,

To make a fair comparison though, shouldn't we take into consideration the cost of living? California is unbelievably expensive to live there. I used the cost-of-living calculator from CNN to estimate what the average nurse annual income of $70,000 in Dallas, TX needs to make in LA, California... $95,000. The average annual income for LA, California is $90,860 according the government's BLS found here: Registered Nurses*

So it seems to me that nurses in California make less than those in Texas even though they are unionized? Because when comparing the these two examples, the nurse working in TX earns about $5,000 more than the one in California- on average. Obviously, this is just one comparison...

I used the cost-of-living calculator here: Cost of Living Calculator: Compare the Cost of Living in Two Cities - CNNMoney

Regards,

LW

[LoyalWeim]

Comparison of the other lower midwest states:

Annual AVG$ in CA = $90,860

MO: $60,000 -> CA: $83,544 (+$7000)

KS: $60,000 -> CA: $78,520 (+18,000)

OK: $55,000 -> CA: $79,701 (+20,000)

So for the other three states, it seems that nurses on average make much more in CA. I don't know how accurate the CNN calculator is but it is probably a decent estimate. Note, that I chose bigger cities for each state too.

Regards,

LW

[seasoned_traveler]

Well, isn't that a deep subject! I can tell you from my experience, I took a 50% cut in pay when I left California for Ohio. I promise the cost of living was nowhere near 50% less! Except for the housing expense, things were pretty much the same. Then, I moved to Florida, for another $5/hr., pay cut. The reason for these insane moves, is that my significant other has the better paying career and I love my family.

As far as the union question goes, the way I see it is that you can organize to have the opportunity and privilege to have a voice in your professional future. Or, you can entrust your economic rewards for your labor totally to the benevolence of the hospital administration.

By the way, one hospital group I worked for had a sports box at the local NFL stadium. Heard it was quite an event at all of the home games. I heard the festivities included catered in food and lots of it! Couldn't verify what exactly took place though, because nobody I knew or I were ever invited! Guess it was just one of those nominal benefits deserving of only administration! Hey, I guess it's all done in the interest of the patients, right? After all, isn't that what they're really concerned with?

Regards,

ST

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

I can't find anywhere the exact wage that the CEO of my company makes, the closest I could find was a "range" on Business Week. Salary approx 500 k, bonus about the same, benefits add approx 250 k to that. Stock options add an unknown amount, estimate is 1.3 million/year.

And this is a company well known for not giving raises.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

I can't find anywhere the exact wage that the CEO of my company makes, the closest I could find was a "range" on Business Week. Salary approx 500 k, bonus about the same, benefits add approx 250 k to that. Stock options add an unknown amount, estimate is 1.3 million/year.

And this is a company well known for not giving raises.

If your company is a non-profit, google the name of the company and IRS 990. This will bring up some of their tax information, including executive compensation. It's quite eye opening- my local paper even publishes the information as soon as it's available. Of course, the facility spokesperson also gives their spin on it, but at least the info is out there.