Unions

Nurses Union

Published

  1. Are you a member of a nursing union?

    • 57
      Yes, and proud of it
    • 10
      Yes, but I hide the fact
    • 123
      No

190 members have participated

I was just wondering peoples views on Unions, from reading other posts I got the inpression that unions are not a standard thing. One of my lectures this semester was two of the big nursing unions came in and gave us informations, so we could join. They are even willing to cover us as students.

What does everyone else think about unions?

Unionization IS what our profession needs! However it does not need a Union here and a Union there, rather a National Union for Nurses , with duly elected State Representatives, and with the inclusion of elected Lobbyists from each state. In this way we would have the number of Nursing Representatives equal to or more than there are Senators:eek: and if necessary they could Lobby there own Senator with nationally approved agenda items. Of course the small percentage of National Leadership in the ANA would disapprove or try to wrestle control of this National Union, so that they may continue the "status quo" but if we bedside nurses stuck to our agenda we (I believe) could and should win that battle:) Of course when one undertakes such a huge task, they should always expect the unexpected, a National Union would be debating many issues with many foes, and as always in these situations Primary Goals can and do get watered down or obliterated, if leadership does not hang together for the good of all. I know this is very generic in nature, however when attempting to achieve those primary goals elected leadership must be focused on those goals, and they must be "our" goals, not a small group of people who call themselves Leaders, yet make our jobs harder and more precarious:(

Jay-there is already a national nurses' union-called the UAN (United American Nurses). It is affiliated with the AFL-CIO as of last summer and should begin to have increased clout as a result. It is the labor arm of the ANA (American Nurses' Association). To learn more go to

http://www.ana.org

and click on the UAN link.

RNPD, you dare to bring up a union that is headed by an association who is right now pushing for legislation that will actually take bargaining power away from nurses. Now I have heard everything.

On top of it you want to suggest that they will gain clout as a result. You also suggest that this union and organization is the best thing for nurses. Just what nurses are you talking about? Are you talking about the nurses that are working at the bedside, or the nurses in the leadership of the controlling organization who are pushing for legislation that will sell them out.

Talk about one hand not knowing what the other one is doing.

:confused:

As Jay said, we need national leadership that is dedicated to Nurses at the bedside.

Wild-you show your ignorance with every post. The UAN will have increased clout due to its recent affiliation with the AFL-CIO. The ANA is behind the UAN 100%. Your twisted logic re this legislation you keep harping on is just that. Just as twisted as your arguments re the ANA's Code. If you don't understand something, educate yourself. I have stayed out of your ANA nonsense thus far because a closed mind has no interest in intelligent debate, and you obviously have an agenda. I will not respond again to your rhetoric.

I suggest that anyone interested in the UAN or the ANA for that matter, become active in their state association. At the very least, read the ANA and your State Ass'n websites regularly. Keep informed and make educated decisions. If you have no need of a union, bravo. Hope it lasts. I happen to think that a strong group is needed to bring nursing into the 21st century, as the profession we want to be. Others may disagree, as is their right. We can debate it intelligently, or not at all. But use logic and education, not feelings, outdated thoughts, or pre-conceived prejudices when you make your decisions.

TOGETHER we can become a respected profession. Let me put it this way-the state of nursing-and as a result, healthcare-is at it's worst since, I believe, the profesion began. What we've always done is no longer working-and never worked very well in the first place. Is it time for a change?

I am also getting tired of the people who say the ANA dues are too expensive. I was also one of those people at one time I am ashamed to say. But guess what? $300-$500/year really isn't unreasonable. What does the AMA charge for dues?-and I know all about the increasing # of docs who say it's too expensive. In the end, YOU decide what you can & can't pay for.

My point is this-I would bet that 75% or more of those who say they CAN'T afford the dues, actually CHOOSE not to afford them. How many of you spend more than $50/month on cigarettes, or junk food, or using gas to drive 1/4 mile when it would be cheaper and healthier to walk? I'm sure if you think about it, you will realize that most of you can pi$$ away 300-500 bucks a year w/o a second thought. Why not use that money to join your professional association and have a VOICE in what the ANA does, instead of complaining that since they only have 8% of registered nurses in the US, they can't be speaking for you. JOIN, let them know your feelings, and LET THEM SPEAK FOR YOU!

I know that there is probably waste in the way some of the dues are spent-show me any large organization or bureaucracy in this country where that doesn't happen. But on the whole, I believe that ANA recognizes the plight of nursing today and is trying to correct it. If you don't like what they are doing, stop b!tching and TELL them what you want.

RNPD, well how about using a little logic yourself.

The ANA is pushing for legislation to bring in a massive amount of new nurses at the taxpayer's expense with an obligation to work for a certain number of years at institutions of need. The needs being those areas and facilities including hospitals who are short of nursing staff. Many of these places can not keep staff because they refuse to change the basic working conditions. If these new nurses fail to fulfill their commitments, then they will have to pay back the money that was invested. The target group is those people who come from poor socioeconomic conditions.

The other side of the coin is that much of the progress being made right now is due to the mere fact that there is a nursing shortage that gives nurses the power and shear leverage to use toward making changes.

If you flood the market with nurses thus taking away the shortage while at the same time have them under obligation to work under a penalty of repayment, then what do you think will happen to the progress of the union movement. Do you actually think that hospitals will be as quick to bargain? Do you think that without a shortage of nurses the hospitals will be as quick to concede demands to nurses?

The president of the ANA does oversee the UAN as well as does a few others in the ANA. This is written in the bylaws.

I think I am finally understanding what you are getting at, Wild. Hit me over the head with a hammer a few times and eventually it sinks in. So, tell me again who I contact legislative-wise to discuss this? (Anyone who doesn't want to know, doesn't have to look:p )

RNKitty, you need to contact your senator and representative. You will be able to find their e-mail address and other contact information with the web links that are near the end of my starter post at

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=12422

Do you think I should start another topic and spell it out like I did with my last post on here?

First time here and I am amazed at the misinformation out there.

I am incredibly impressed, however, with some of the thoughtful and educational information written in some of these messages.

The RNs in my facility unionized for years ago. We are now in negotiations for our second contract. Before joining a union, we organized ourselves, elected representatives, and had several meetings with administrators before they refused any further meetings. So much for not needing a union and representing ourselves!

We have a Staff Representative from the state office of our union who helps us run our local. During negotiations, they help write and present the proposals because we are not familiar with many of the legalities involved. However--and this is critical--the staff rep works for the members of the local. We do not answer to him/her. They answer to us. There is no third party, as many people claim when talking about unions.

I am incredibly proud of being a member of my union. For those who say it is unprofessional, who do you think is getting the legislation written and passed that protects nurses and patients? It has not been the ANA, and it has not been individuals. It has been the combined efforts of the unions that represent nurses.

My union--Health Professionals and Allied Employees--is a part of the Health Care Division of the AFT. The officers of HPAE are all nurses at present. Our staff rep is an RN. Much of the emphasis of the union is on legislation. HPAE has been instrumental in writing and passing bills including the first "Baby Bill", prohibiting hospitals from forcing new mothers and babies out after 24 hours, to mandating the use of safe needles.

If health care workers do not look out for themselves and fight for the opportunity to provide quality care to their patients, who will? While it would be nice to think that all employers will do the right thing, that patient care is the top priority in health care policy today, and that all nurses will be treated with dignity and the value of their work acknowledged, we know this is not happening everywhere. And that is the value of belonging to a union!

Wild-I never said the ANA doesn't oversee the UAN. The UAN is the labor arm of the ANA so of course they are intertwined.

As for the legislation to recruit more nurses-you see it one way, I another. As the RN workforce is aging out there will NOT be enough nurses to replace us-even if suddenly all the facilities decided to pay double our salaries and allow us autonomous practice. That would help in the short term, since there are presently thousands of nurses who do not work at the bedside or even in the profession, and that might entice them back to work. However, within the next 10 to 15 years, even those nurses will be too old to practice, no matter how much better conditions might become. AND THERE IS NO ONE WAITING IN THE WINGS TO REPLACE US!!!! Get it??? So unless someone does something to recruit new nurses, it won't matter how much we get paid or how good our benefits are, because there will be no one to take advantage of it.

I really have to wonder about your twisted logic sometimes.

RNPD, here is a little more of my twisted logic as you call it.

How about fixing our problems first before and try to bring all the experienced nurses who have left as well as keep the experienced nurses whom are planning on leaving. Would you rather have a new nurse or an experienced nurse?

How about changing thing so those nurses who exist today can honestly say that it is worth being a nurse to everyone? Don't you think that in it's self would be a great recruiting campaign? The majority of nurses today are telling everyone they know not to come into nursing because of the conditions that presently exist. How about changing this first before we flood the market with new nurses who will be under a financial obligation to work no mater what and thus take away the power to change things that we face today?

How about actually waiting until we have changed things before we pursue this legislation? If things are change we might not actually need this legislation in the first place.

Now let me ask you a few more questions. Have you ever thought about how this legislation might actually drive off experienced nurses who have been on the fence deciding to leave or stay? The nurses who have been holding on thinking that things might change for the better soon. What do you think they will do when all of a sudden they see things are not going to change? Do you think they will continue to hang around without a good reason to do so? The nursing shortage has given many nurses hope that we could once and for all force change and now you want to take that all away.

I am sorry but it is not my logic that is twisted here. It is yours and the ANAs who are pushing for this legislation that will take away the power of nurses in general to actually affect change. Now why are you so insistent on cutting the nurses throats who work at the bedside just when progress is starting to be made?

On another topic you have said that you did not have to really work and that you only work part time. Guess how many nurses do not have that choice?

>>

Besides that, he would like people to think that ANA nurses are blind and doing nothing about the conditions we all work in & he would like people to think that ANA nurses want to flood the market with new nurses and do nothing about the environment we are working in. Except what he would like people to think is not true.

Why he persists in ignoring the OTHER parts of the Safe Staffing legislation that the ANA developed & now has before Congress (along with the support of other nurses unions as well) & which address nurse RETENTION and working conditions - including zero tolerance for mandatory ot & establishing safe staffing ratio guidelines, is beyond me. Why not tell everybody about the REST of the legislation that this recruitment piece is picked from?

Because it might make people realize that ANA nurses really are fighting for the nurse at the bedside (which they themselves actually are).

Consistently harping on just the recruitment part of the Safe Staffing Campaign (and saying we dont need it!) while choosing to ignore THE REST of the legislations for safe staffing and working conditions that goes with it, is the only way he can get it to fit his bash-fest agenda. Unless he doesnt even know what the rest of the legislation is. And here he is writing to nurses and elected officials to OPPOSE new nurse recruitment.

Oh Yes, that makes a lot of sense - lets just shoot ourselves in the foot & do nothing to bring in students. In fact, lets even fight against any effort to send new students to school so that in 5 yrs when we all start retiring in droves, there will be no workforce left - and only THEN can we start looking for students to send to school & tell the pts to just hang on until they graduate. Oh yes. That'll work. :rolleyes: That is so misdirected it isnt even funny.

In saying we dont need to recruit new nurses now, he doesnt seem to realize that the new students recruited today will not be ready to even enter the market for several years. By then it will be too late to START recruiting new students to enter nursing school to replace the mass retirements that will already be happening. They have to be FINISHED with school and ready to roll as the mass retirements begin in the next few years. Recruiting now is perfect timing and preparation for that.

In the meantime, while beginning recruitment now AT THE SAME TIME that we work on obtaining national legislation that addresses RETENTION of current nurses and repairing workplace conditions like abolishing MOT, (instead of leaving it up to the employer to decide to repair it himself), we are hitting all angles of this crisis at the same time.... taking care of the present conditions and retention problems for now, while new students are being prepared for the near future. Why wont he recognize those parts of the legislation package? Because they make sense....... and because they were developed with the ANA.

Maybe we are talking to a very narrow mind with blinders on, who cannot see that this nursing crisis will not be solved with JUST one piece of the legislation or the other? As the ANA and others have said, the crisis is multi-faceted & needs solutions on ALL facets AT THE SAME TIME. There is not just a recruitment effort going on as he would like people to believe (and it is very much needed as RNPD has pointed out), but there are also retention, workplace, and safe staffing efforts in conjunction with that. Its curious how he consistently ignores those parts of the legislation.

And yes, there is an attempt to increase the representation of minority groups within the profession, including men, or would he rather that nursing remain 99% white, female while the pt population is not.

Talk about elitist.

Educate yourself W, and read some of the Congressional testimonies, solutions and ALL of the legislations made by ANA nurses on these issues. Youre showing your ignorance of the issues and the facts.

(of course I know that anything said by any nurse here who is a knowledgeable, active member of their professional association will be dismissed by you, in your infinite wisdom.)

"ANA maintains the current nursing shortage will remain and likely worsen if changes in the workplace are not immediately addressed. The profession of nursing will be unable to compete with the myriad of other career opportunities available in today's economy unless we improve working conditions. Registered nurses, hospital administrators, other health care providers, health system planners, and consumers must come together in a meaningful way to create a system that supports quality patient care and all health care providers. We must begin by improving the working environment for nursing......."

- from the US Senate Hearing Testimony June 27, 2001

of Anne O'Sullivan, RN

for the American Nurses Association

Full text at: http://www.ana.org/gova/federal/legis/testimon/2001/govaref.htm

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