INCREDIBLE CNA/NNOC victory in Houston.

[Chico David]

I'm posting this fast, and don't yet have all the details, but here is what I do know:

CNA just won a representation election for the RNs at Cypress Fairbanks Hospital, a part of the Tenet chain in Houston Texas.

Other than a small number of RNs employed by the federal government, this represents the first unionized nurses in the entire state a very tough organizing environment. It is the first major fruits of a three year statewide campaign.

The election was run under an organizing agreement won at the bargaining table by Tenet nurses in California.

Don't yet have numbers or other details, will make a second post when I do. I've met some of these Texas nurses and they are just the greatest. This is only the first of many organizing victories to come in this state.

[RN4MERCY]

Horribly sad for those nurses who tried so hard to overcome an employer who puts profit ahead of patient needs. The nurses who continue to advocate for the right to control their professional practice are very brave pioneers in Texas. Eventually they will prevail over the union busters ideology of oppression and achieve autonomous control of their profession at Rio.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I am a Texan and SO GLAD Texas is a right-to-work state. I refuse to work in a union "shop".

[RN4MERCY]

Classic victims believe their abusers don't really mean to hurt them and that they must some how deserve the punishment. Texas couldn't even defend itself against Mexico and the union army had to protect the people. Together we can form a stronger and more powerful association in solidarity for our patient's safety!

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

Attitudes like that one, RN4, is what turned off a lot of the nurses at RGRH that initially voted FOR the union, and ultimately voted them OUT last night.

Contrary to your view, most of the nurses at my hospital are INDEED smart enough to make a rational decision, and are not blind, hopeless victims of HCA.

[RN4MERCY]

Attitude like solidarity for patient safety? And willing to take a stand to change unsafe working conditions that increase risk of harm to patients? Why on earth would you call those who voted against hapless victims? Intimidated by their managers maybe and feeling sorry because manager-friends fed them the buster-scripted line "I'll lose my job if the union wins".

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

No, attitude like saying "Classic victims believe their abusers don't really mean to hurt them and that they must some how deserve the punishment." as if the people that voted NO last night didn't know what was best for them and needed you or a union to protect them from themselves or from the HCA boogey monster.

It wasn't ME that called anyone a hapless victim...that was you, and now you're inexplicably trying to lay it on me. THAT was the opposite of what I said.

Intimidated by their managers maybe and feeling sorry because manager-friends fed them the buster-scripted line "I'll lose my job if the union wins".

This part, I can certainly address. I was never once talked to by any member of management about the union, either for or against, during this entire 2 year process. I certainly wasn't intimidated by them. Indeed, it was specifically prohibited for members of mgmt to even address the issue with us.