Why are so many nurses against unions?

Nurses Union

Published

I really don't understand. I am a newish nurse that landed my "dream job" in the icu. My hospital is the biggest and best in the area and we are currently on a journey to magnet. I feel like I was lied to about how this would help nurses and we would be supported and taken care of.

In my icu we have a very high acuity. We are constantly short staffed and tripled. 1:1 for ccrt pts is advertised but never actually happens!

I have seen a patient self extubate during the holy interdisciplinary rounds due to that nurse being tripled and spread out across the unit. None of the bosses said any thing and just went on to round on the next patient.

The majority of our assistants will not help unless asked and it's like pulling teeth just to get them to help with a blood sugar check. Often they are sitting on their cellphones or just catching up on gossip. But since they have worked there a long time it is widely accepted by the staff.

We have are losing staff nurses left and right.

I have been talked down to by our surgeons and blatantly disrespected on more than one occasion for trying to help a patient but not enough to be considered abusive so that I could report it. Once, I calmly asked a doc to update the close family members of a dying patient at their request. Since a distant family had been updated, the doctor was visibly offended and proceeded to call my charge nurse and say "I got in her face" which was completely false. Luckily the charge was within ear shot and heard everything. This was swept under the rug.

During my new nurse orientation the nursing instructor preached against unions especially since we were going magnet and would have so many benefits.

I feel like a strong nurse union could solve many of our problems and help our patient care. But the majority of nurses I have talked to are completely against it. I can't understand this for the life of me.

Sadly, my dream job has turned to hell. I love my sick patients and family but sick of being overworked, tripled, never even getting a lunch break, all while being talked down to and humiliated by the Dr.s that see me as a stupid new nurse.

I've worked and union and nonunion hospitals and surprisingly, some of the worst staffing and floating

policies I've had to live with was in the union hospitals. I've also made more money in

non union hospitals on several occasions. So, unions don't guarantee a better

life, that is for sure. (I thought the ratio laws were going to be the answer to most of our

problems but hospitals now using bogus acuity tools to undermine state laws, but that's another issue...).

My biggest problem with unions are the MILLIONS of dollars spent on political causes that have

nothing to do with nursing or safe patient care, things such as Occupy Wall Street & the Robinhood Tax, various

"social justice" movements, etc...During elections political candidates get an unbelievable about of "soft money" from nurse

unions and it's nearly always left to progressive left candidates.

This is a matter of public record in states that force disclosure, so it's not "propaganda." I don't

think it's right for nurse unions to funnel our money (unbeknownst to many) nurses, into non nursing causes that members might be

adamantly opposed to. Just one example is nurse unions supporting candidates who support partial birth abortion; problematic for nurses who disagree with such activity. When the nurse union folks come in to court nurses

they don't say, "and by the way, we are going to use thousands of your dollars to support non nursing issues

and candidates that you may or may not agree with." And that's exactly what they do, and often ideology

trumps member interests, as we saw with the coal miners unions telling members to support the candidate that

was campaigning to shut them down, declaring "a war on coal." Subsequent job losses and closures ensued.

Were unions looking out for members there? Even if I agreed with their politics, which I by in large don't, I wouldn't support them pouring our money into those causes. That is not what we are paying them to do. They just opportunistically do it because they can and most members

don't realize the scale or scope of what they are doing with our money. It's not right. If they fixed what's wrong on the

ground with nursing that would be one thing, but they often don't. Management ends up spending inordinate amounts

of time dealing with various grievances, but generally nothing much of real value comes back to the nurses. I've worked in union hospitals in California, Michigan, and Massachusetts and have traveled quite a bit and have been a nurse for over 20 years. My feeling is that the hospitals get away with screwing nurses over (mostly with staffing, in my opinion) because they can, and unfortunately, unions talk the talk, but don't come through on the ground game, but they do benefit greatly from nurse member dollars. As far as dealing with the ever increasing workload and lack of help for nurses, I don't know what the answer is. It's depressing, really, because I've only seen it get worse.

1 Votes
Specializes in Case manager, UR.

"The majority of our assistants will not help unless asked and it's like pulling teeth just to get them to help with a blood sugar check. Often they are sitting on their cellphones or just catching up on gossip. But since they have worked there a long time it is widely accepted by the staff. "

I didn't read all the threads, so forgive me if this has been addressed. But am I the only person who wonders how a union will change this kind of attitude toward helping coworkers?

0 Votes
Specializes in ICU.
"The majority of our assistants will not help unless asked and it's like pulling teeth just to get them to help with a blood sugar check. Often they are sitting on their cellphones or just catching up on gossip. But since they have worked there a long time it is widely accepted by the staff. "

I didn't read all the threads, so forgive me if this has been addressed. But am I the only person who wonders how a union will change this kind of attitude toward helping coworkers?

I've worked in a non-unionized hospital ICU in the past and now work in a unionized hospital ICU. Where I'm at now is a magnet hospital that practices the primary nursing model so we don't have nursing assistants, but we do have enforced patient ratios which means that the other nurses I work with actually have the time to help me if I'm drowning. In my non-unionized job, it's not that the other nurses didn't want to help, but they couldn't always help due to their own heavy assignments.

I think there's also a lot more job satisfaction from being in a unionized job that grants you so many benefits (good pay, health insurance, retirement plan, job security, etc.) that you're more invested and engaged and thus more likely to be a good team player.

1 Votes
Specializes in All areas of Critical Care, ED, PACU, Pre-Op, BH,.
When you have a Union you loose flexibility. I'll give you an example; Most of us Nurses want to adjust our work schedule so that we get more days off in a row. We can't because that would require the LPN's, which are Unionized, to adjust their contract. If you know anything about Unions, once you join a Union, you now work for the Union and NOT the hospital. The biggest thing is you loose flexibility.

Apparently you have never worked in a horrible Right to Work State like Arizona. They can abuse their nurses and there is nothing you can do about it! They fight to keep Unions out of each hospital facility. Our CEO's are rich and get bonuses each quarter that only rise and rise! Our requirements just increase and increase. We have no say in our working conditions, pay rises are non existent, no retirement benefits and healthcare benefits are poor. I would love for a Union to step in and help the nurses in this state ANY DAY!

1 Votes
Specializes in All areas of Critical Care, ED, PACU, Pre-Op, BH,.
I am not a fan of nurse unions because they spend our hard earned money supporting things like Occupy Wall Street, the Robin Hood Tax and (generally) far left political candidates, all the while having little effect in the workplace for on the ground nurses. If they did more of what they were supposed to do then I would support them.

Perhaps if you looked into the specific policies that they are supporting then you might understand it. I believe you have been listening to the right wing propaganda nonsense that is always going to be against Unions. Why? Because they are generally FOR the Employee! Right wingers are FOR the Corporations. They want to give more money to the rich CEO's. Give them more tax breaks. Learn how to do some actual research versus reciting rhetoric. Seriously, try it.

2 Votes
Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

When we were working for safe staffing ratios in California we sent a questionnaire to all statewide candidates of ll parties.

After a short presentation we asked them all the same question, "If elected will you vote for this bill?"

ftp://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/99-00/bill/asm/ab_0351-0400/ab_394_bill_19991010_chaptered.html

Those who said, "Yes." we worked on their campaigns.

We lost twice, but gained votes each time.

Finally after several elections we got it through the legislature. The governor vetoed it.

Before the next election we asked gubernatorial candidates the same question. All said "No" or refused to promise. Gray Davis said he probably would, "But I may try to tweak it a little."

Then after it passed nurses held rallys and demonstrations at places where we though we'd get press. By then most people were educated enough to want safe staffing ratios for their hospitals.

Then it took four years of other activities to get the ratios implemented.

We supported candidates that would vote for what we wanted so our patients could have the best care we can provide.

Here is the text of the law:

BARCLAYS OFFICIAL CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS

§ 70217. Nursing Service Staff.

(a) Hospitals shall provide staffing by licensed nurses, within the scope of their licensure in accordance with the following nurse-to-patient ratios. Licensed nurse means a registered nurse, licensed vocational nurse and, in psychiatric units only, a psychiatric technician. Staffing for care not requiring a licensed nurse is not included within these ratios and shall be determined pursuant to the patient classification system.

No hospital shall assign a licensed nurse to a nursing unit or clinical area unless that hospital determines that the licensed nurse has demonstrated current competence in providing care in that area, and has also received orientation to that hospital's clinical area sufficient to provide competent care to patients in that area.

The policies and procedures of the hospital shall contain the hospital's criteria for making this determination.

Licensed nurse-to-patient ratios represent the maximum number of patients that shall be assigned to one licensed nurse at any one time. Assigned” means the licensed nurse has responsibility for the provision of care to a particular patient within his/her scope of practice. There shall be no averaging of the number of patients and the total number of licensed nurses on the unit during any one shift nor over any period of time. Only licensed nurses providing direct patient care shall be included in the ratios.

Nurse Administrators, Nurse Supervisors, Nurse Managers, and Charge Nurses, and other licensed nurses shall be included in the calculation of the licensed nurse-to-patient ratio only when those licensed nurses are engaged in providing direct patient care.

When a Nurse Administrator, Nurse Supervisor, Nurse Manager, Charge Nurse or other licensed nurse is engaged in activities other than direct patient care, that nurse shall not be included in the ratio. Nurse Administrators, Nurse Supervisors, Nurse Managers, and Charge Nurses who have demonstrated current competence to the hospital in providing care on a particular unit may relieve licensed nurses during breaks, meals, and other routine, expected absences from the unit.

Licensed vocational nurses may constitute up to 50 percent of the licensed nurses assigned to patient care on any unit, except where registered nurses are required pursuant to the patient classification system or this section.

Only registered nurses shall be assigned to Intensive Care Newborn Nursery Service Units, which specifically require one registered nurse to two or fewer infants. In the Emergency Department, only registered nurses shall be assigned to triage patients and only registered nurses shall be assigned to critical trauma patients.

Nothing in this section shall prohibit a licensed nurse from assisting with specific tasks within the scope of his or her practice for a patient assigned to another nurse. Assist” means that licensed nurses may provide patient care beyond their patient assignments if the tasks performed are specific and time-limited.

(1) The licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in a critical care unit shall be 1:2 or fewer at all times. Critical care unit” means a nursing unit of a general acute care hospital which provides one of the following services: an intensive care service, a burn center, a coronary care service, an acute respiratory service, or an intensive care newborn nursery service. In the intensive care newborn nursery service, the ratio shall be 1 registered nurse:2 or fewer patients at all times.

(2) The surgical service operating room shall have at least one registered nurse assigned to the duties of the circulating nurse and a minimum of one additional person serving as scrub assistant for each patient-occupied operating room. The scrub assistant may be a licensed nurse, an operating room technician, or other person who has demonstrated current competence to the hospital as a scrub assistant, but shall not be a physician or other licensed health professional who is assisting in the performance of surgery.

(3) The licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in a labor and delivery suite of the perinatal service shall be 1:2 or fewer active labor patients at all times. When a licensed nurse is caring for antepartum patients who are not in active labor, the licensed nurse-to-patient ratio shall be 1:4 or fewer at all times.

(4) The licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in a postpartum area of the perinatal service shall be 1:4 mother-baby couplets or fewer at all times. In the event of multiple births, the total number of mothers plus infants assigned to a single licensed nurse shall never exceed eight. For postpartum areas in which the licensed nurse's assignment consists of mothers only, the licensed nurse-to-patient ratio shall be 1:6 or fewer at all times.

(5) The licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in a combined Labor/Delivery/Postpartum area of the perinatal service shall be 1:3 or fewer at all times the licensed nurse is caring for a patient combination of one woman in active labor and a postpartum mother and infant The licensed nurse-to-patient ratio for nurses caring for women in active labor only, antepartum patients who are not in active labor only, postpartum women only, or mother-baby couplets only, shall be the same ratios as stated in subsections (3) and (4) above for those categories of patients.

(6) The licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in a pediatric service unit shall be 1:4 or fewer at all times.

(7) The licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in a postanesthesia recovery unit of the anesthesia service shall be 1:2 or fewer at all times, regardless of the type of anesthesia the patient received.

(8) In a hospital providing basic emergency medical services or comprehensive emergency medical services, the licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in an emergency department shall be 1:4 or fewer at all times that patients are receiving treatment. There shall be no fewer than two licensed nurses physically present in the emergency department when a patient is present.

At least one of the licensed nurses shall be a registered nurse assigned to triage patients. The registered nurse assigned to triage patients shall be immediately available at all times to triage patients when they arrive in the emergency department. When there are no patients needing triage, the registered nurse may assist by performing other nursing tasks. The registered nurse assigned to triage patients shall not be counted in the licensed nurse-to-patient ratio.

Hospitals designated by the Local Emergency Medical Services (LEMS) Agency as a base hospital,” as defined in section 1797.58 of the Health and Safety Code, shall have either a licensed physician or a registered nurse on duty to respond to the base radio 24 hours each day. When the duty of base radio responder is assigned to a registered nurse, that registered nurse may assist by performing other nursing tasks when not responding to radio calls, but shall be immediately available to respond to requests for medical direction on the base radio. The registered nurse assigned as base radio responder shall not be counted in the licensed nurse-to-patient ratios.

When licensed nursing staff are attending critical care patients in the emergency department, the licensed nurse-to-patient ratio shall be 1:2 or fewer critical care patients at all times. A patient in the emergency department shall be considered a critical care patient when the patient meets the criteria for admission to a critical care service area within the hospital.

Only registered nurses shall be assigned to critical trauma patients in the emergency department, and a minimum registered nurse-to-critical trauma patient ratio of 1:1 shall be maintained at all times. A critical trauma patient is a patient who has injuries to an anatomic area that : (1) require life saving interventions, or (2) in conjunction with unstable vital signs, pose an immediate threat to life or limb.

(9) The licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in a step-down unit shall be 1:4 or fewer at all times. Commencing January 1, 2008, the licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in a step-down unit shall be 1:3 or fewer at all times.

A step down unit” is defined as a unit which is organized, operated, and maintained to provide for the monitoring and care of patients with moderate or potentially severe physiologic instability requiring technical support but not necessarily artificial life support. Step-down patients are those patients who require less care than intensive care, but more than that which is available from medical/surgical care.

Artificial life support” is defined as a system that uses medical technology to aid, support, or replace a vital function of the body that has been seriously damaged. Technical support” is defined as specialized equipment and/or personnel providing for invasive monitoring, telemetry, or mechanical ventilation, for the immediate amelioration or remediation of severe pathology.

(10) The licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in a telemetry unit shall be 1:5 or fewer at all times. Commencing January 1, 2008, the licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in a telemetry unit shall be 1:4 or fewer at all times. Telemetry unit” is defined as a unit organized, operated, and maintained to provide care for and continuous cardiac monitoring of patients in a stable condition, having or suspected of having a cardiac condition or a disease requiring the electronic monitoring, recording, retrieval, and display of cardiac electrical signals. Telemetry unit” as defined in these regulations does not include fetal monitoring nor fetal surveillance.

(11) The licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in medical/surgical care units shall be 1:6 or fewer at all times. Commencing January 1, 2005, the licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in medical/surgical care units shall be 1:5 or fewer at all times. A medical/surgical unit is a unit with beds classified as medical/surgical in which patients, who require less care than that which is available in intensive care units, step-down units, or specialty care units receive 24 hour inpatient general medical services, post-surgical services, or both general medical and post-surgical services. These units may include mixed patient populations of diverse diagnoses and diverse age groups who require care appropriate to a medical/surgical unit.

(12) The licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in a specialty care unit shall be 1:5 or fewer at all times. Commencing January 1, 2008, the licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in a specialty care unit shall be 1:4 or fewer at all times. A specialty care unit is defined as a unit which is organized, operated, and maintained to provide care for a specific medical condition or a specific patient population.

Services provided in these units are more specialized to meet the needs of patients with the specific condition or disease process than that which is required on medical/surgical units, and is not otherwise covered by subdivision (a).

(13) The licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in a psychiatric unit shall be 1:6 or fewer at all times. For purposes of psychiatric units only, licensed nurses” also includes psychiatric technicians in addition to licensed vocational nurses and registered nurses. Licensed vocational nurses, psychiatric technicians, or a combination of both, shall not exceed 50 percent of the licensed nurses on the unit.

(14) Identifying a unit by a name or term other than those used in this subsection does not affect the requirement to staff at the ratios identified for the level or type of care described in this subsection.

(b) In addition to the requirements of subsection

(a), the hospital shall implement a patient classification system as defined in Section 70053.2 above for determining nursing care needs of individual patients that reflects the assessment, made by a registered nurse as specified at subsection 70215(a)(1), of patient requirements and provides for shift-by-shift staffing based on those requirements. The ratios specified in subsection (a) shall constitute the minimum number of registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, and in the case of psychiatric units, psychiatric technicians, who shall be assigned to direct patient care.

Additional staff in excess of these prescribed ratios, including non-licensed staff, shall be assigned in accordance with the hospital's documented patient classification system for determining nursing care requirements, considering factors that include the severity of the illness, the need for specialized equipment and technology, the complexity of clinical judgment needed to design, implement, and evaluate the patient care plan, the ability for self-care, and the licensure of the personnel required for care. The system developed by the hospital shall include, but not be limited to, the following elements:

(1) Individual patient care requirements.

(2) The patient care delivery system.

(3) Generally accepted standards of nursing practice, as well as elements reflective of the unique nature of the hospital's patient population.

© A written staffing plan shall be developed by the administrator of nursing service or a designee, based on patient care needs determined by the patient classification system. The staffing plan shall be developed and implemented for each patient care unit and shall specify patient care requirements and the staffing levels for registered nurses and other licensed and unlicensed personnel. In no case shall the staffing level for licensed nurses fall below the requirements of subsection (a). The plan shall include the following:

(1) Staffing requirements as determined by the patient classification system for each unit, documented on a day-to-day, shift-by-shift basis.

(2) The actual staff and staff mix provided, documented on a day-to-day, shift-by-shift basis.

(3) The variance between required and actual staffing patterns, documented on a day-to-day, shift-by-shift basis.

(d) In addition to the documentation required in subsections ©(1) through (3) above, the hospital shall keep a record of the actual registered nurse, licensed vocational nurse and psychiatric technician assignments to individual patients by licensure category, documented on a day-to-day, shift-by-shift basis. The hospital shall retain:

(1) The staffing plan required in subsections ©(1) through (3) for the time period between licensing surveys, which includes the Consolidated Accreditation and Licensing Survey process, and

(2) The record of the actual registered nurse, licensed vocational nurse and psychiatric technician assignments by licensure category for a minimum of one year.

(e) The reliability of the patient classification system for validating staffing requirements shall be reviewed at least annually by a committee appointed by the nursing administrator to determine whether or not the system accurately measures patient care needs.

(f) At least half of the members of the review committee shall be registered nurses who provide direct patient care.

(g) If the review reveals that adjustments are necessary in the patient classification system in order to assure accuracy in measuring patient care needs, such adjustments must be implemented within thirty (30) days of that determination.

(h) Hospitals shall develop and document a process by which all interested staff may provide input about the patient classification system, the system's required revisions, and the overall staffing plan.

(i) The administrator of nursing services shall not be designated to serve as a charge nurse or to have direct patient care responsibility, except as described in subsection (a) above.

(j) Registered nursing personnel shall:

(1) Assist the administrator of nursing service so that supervision of nursing care occurs on a 24-hour basis.

(2) Provide direct patient care.

(3) Provide clinical supervision and coordination of the care given by licensed vocational nurses and unlicensed nursing personnel.

(k) Each patient care unit shall have a registered nurse assigned, present and responsible for the patient care in the unit on each shift.

(l) A rural General Acute Care Hospital as defined in Health and Safety Code Section 1250(a), may apply for and be granted program flexibility for the requirements of subsection 70217(i) and for the personnel requirements of subsection (j)(1) above.

(m) Unlicensed personnel may be utilized as needed to assist with simple nursing procedures, subject to the requirements of competency validation. Hospital policies and procedures shall describe the responsibility of unlicensed personnel and limit their duties to tasks that do not require licensure as a registered or vocational nurse.

(n) Nursing personnel from temporary nursing agencies shall not be responsible for a patient care unit without having demonstrated clinical and supervisory competence as defined by the hospital's standards of staff performance pursuant to the requirements of subsection 70213© above.

(o) Hospitals which utilize temporary nursing agencies shall have and adhere to a written procedure to orient and evaluate personnel from these sources. Such procedures shall require that personnel from temporary nursing agencies be evaluated as often, or more often, than staff employed directly by the hospital.

(p) All registered and licensed vocational nurses utilized in the hospital shall have current licenses. A method to document current licensure shall be established.

(q) The hospital shall plan for routine fluctuations in patient census. If a healthcare emergency causes a change in the number of patients on a unit, the hospital must demonstrate that prompt efforts were made to maintain required staffing levels. A healthcare emergency is defined for this purpose as an unpredictable or unavoidable occurrence at unscheduled or unpredictable intervals relating to healthcare delivery requiring immediate medical interventions and care.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 1275, 1276.4 and 131200, Health and Safety Code. Reference: Sections 1250(a), 1276, 1276.4, 1797.58, 1790.160, 131050, 131051 and 131052, Health and Safety Code.

View Document - California Code of Regulations

1 Votes
Perhaps if you looked into the specific policies that they are supporting then you might understand it. I believe you have been listening to the right wing propaganda nonsense that is always going to be against Unions. Why? Because they are generally FOR the Employee! Right wingers are FOR the Corporations. They want to give more money to the rich CEO's. Give them more tax breaks. Learn how to do some actual research versus reciting rhetoric. Seriously, try it.

Actually it's a matter of public record that unions take millions of our dollars to support candidates and policies that are not related to nursing and have much to do with supporting the political leanings of union leaders, and it's making a lot of people rich (and surprise-surprise it's not the nurses working on med-surg).

Right wing or left wing or somewhere in between, it doesn't matter. Regardless of where members stand politically, the use of our money is not made clear to members and there is a reason; it is an absolute racket and many nurses would not support it if they knew how it was used.

As a conservative person I am very well versed in many of the untrue right wing talking points, but I am also well versed in the lies perpetuated by the left. I am a middle class nurse, mother, wife, my husband is retired military, and I am a conscientious community member, and I would have no interest in being "against the little guy" and "for corporations." I am interested in people and entities actually doing what they say they do--what we are paying them to do--and I don't think union members should be providing a blank check for unions to line the pockets of politicians or support their personal crusades. Quite unfortunately, over time, once protective and vital, unions have morphed into powerful, self serving & money hungry organizations, that (I argue) do little to actually improve the quality of life for nurses. Do I think healthcare corporations can be greedy and put the bottom line above the patients and staff? Absolutely, every day, and it's only gotten worse since I've been a nurse, 22 years now. That being said I feel like, overall, what unions sell is not what unions deliver, and they use our money dishonestly.

These are my opinions based on life experience, working at union and nonunion hospitals, and looking at what causes and candidates our membership dollars go to (the numbers provided by the unions themselves). Of course, plenty of people disagree with me and will defend unions till the end of the earth, and that's fine with me because we all have the right to our own opinions. It's called agreeing to disagree, and if you are offended by talking points you may want to review your own reply.

3 Votes
Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

Each union is different. They are not all the same.

My union has a political action committee. No one is required to give to it.

Most nurses I know have signed up to have $5.00 or $10.00 a pay-period sent to the PAC.

The reporting makes it seem as though there were no donations over $200.00, but the donors who give ten dollars a pay period donate $240.00 a year in ten dollar increments.

Most of the money is for transportation for nurses to lobby and/or rally for a cause or candidate.

1 Votes
Specializes in All areas of Critical Care, ED, PACU, Pre-Op, BH,.
Actually it's a matter of public record that unions take millions of our dollars to support candidates and policies that are not related to nursing and have much to do with supporting the political leanings of union leaders, and it's making a lot of people rich (and surprise-surprise it's not the nurses working on med-surg).

Right wing or left wing or somewhere in between, it doesn't matter. Regardless of where members stand politically, the use of our money is not made clear to members and there is a reason; it is an absolute racket and many nurses would not support it if they knew how it was used.

As a conservative person I am very well versed in many of the untrue right wing talking points, but I am also well versed in the lies perpetuated by the left. I am a middle class nurse, mother, wife, my husband is retired military, and I am a conscientious community member, and I would have no interest in being "against the little guy" and "for corporations." I am interested in people and entities actually doing what they say they do--what we are paying them to do--and I don't think union members should be providing a blank check for unions to line the pockets of politicians or support their personal crusades. Quite unfortunately, over time, once protective and vital, unions have morphed into powerful, self serving & money hungry organizations, that (I argue) do little to actually improve the quality of life for nurses. Do I think healthcare corporations can be greedy and put the bottom line above the patients and staff? Absolutely, every day, and it's only gotten worse since I've been a nurse, 22 years now. That being said I feel like, overall, what unions sell is not what unions deliver, and they use our money dishonestly.

These are my opinions based on life experience, working at union and nonunion hospitals, and looking at what causes and candidates our membership dollars go to (the numbers provided by the unions themselves). Of course, plenty of people disagree with me and will defend unions till the end of the earth, and that's fine with me because we all have the right to our own opinions. It's called agreeing to disagree, and if you are offended by talking points you may want to review your own reply.

Actually I've been playing very close attention to the truth in politics. Due to this last disastrous election, I feel everyone should do the same. I also have worked at both union and nonunion. There is a huge difference. I stand behind my assessment of the situation and the right wing propaganda filled with lies. Corporate welfare will be there to help the tax breaks for the very rich. Nurses do not fall into that category. We will always be one of the "worker bees." I am not disagreeing that some of the membership dues do not go for things that you may not agree with or even I may not agree with. It is well documented that the left (Democrats) have always stood on the side of the workers decade after decade. California got some of their best changes due to their Democratic Governor. Proven fact.

2 Votes
Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.
Actually it's a matter of public record that unions take millions of our dollars to support candidates and policies that are not related to nursing and have much to do with supporting the political leanings of union leaders, and it's making a lot of people rich (and surprise-surprise it's not the nurses working on med-surg).

Right wing or left wing or somewhere in between, it doesn't matter. Regardless of where members stand politically, the use of our money is not made clear to members and there is a reason; it is an absolute racket and many nurses would not support it if they knew how it was used.

As a conservative person I am very well versed in many of the untrue right wing talking points, but I am also well versed in the lies perpetuated by the left. I am a middle class nurse, mother, wife, my husband is retired military, and I am a conscientious community member, and I would have no interest in being "against the little guy" and "for corporations." I am interested in people and entities actually doing what they say they do--what we are paying them to do--and I don't think union members should be providing a blank check for unions to line the pockets of politicians or support their personal crusades. Quite unfortunately, over time, once protective and vital, unions have morphed into powerful, self serving & money hungry organizations, that (I argue) do little to actually improve the quality of life for nurses. Do I think healthcare corporations can be greedy and put the bottom line above the patients and staff? Absolutely, every day, and it's only gotten worse since I've been a nurse, 22 years now. That being said I feel like, overall, what unions sell is not what unions deliver, and they use our money dishonestly.

These are my opinions based on life experience, working at union and nonunion hospitals, and looking at what causes and candidates our membership dollars go to (the numbers provided by the unions themselves). Of course, plenty of people disagree with me and will defend unions till the end of the earth, and that's fine with me because we all have the right to our own opinions. It's called agreeing to disagree, and if you are offended by talking points you may want to review your own reply.

I agree with you regarding SOME unions, but NOT ALL!
3 Votes

My experience with nurses union was in California from 2012 to 2014. I moved from Texas to California during that time and man let me tell you that having a union was a Godsend! You had someone to represent you to get fair and adequate pay/raises, you had mandatory breaks that you actually got to take, you actually got a lunch, you had nurse to patient ratios, ect. I worked and have worked in Texas as a nurse from 2009-2012 then 2014 to present. We moved back in 2014 due to the wildfires. If it wasn't for the California state taxes and higher cost of living I would move back right now. Anyway, here in Texas as a nurse every fellow nurse that I talked to about my experiences in CA absolutely rejected the idea of a union and then would turn to me and complain that they were overworked, short staffed for help, never get their lunch, had crappy pay, and were always asked to do other "duties as assigned" as seen fit by the institution, that's clever hiring wording to be told to do whatever they want you to do so they can save man-hours and the business money by under paying you and making you work 2-4 man-hours for the price of 1. That is one reason why I left the Cath Lab world because when I first got into it I was a Cath Lab nurse. Then I was a Cath Lab and Interventional Radiology (IR) nurse. Then I was a Cath Lab, IR, and Electrophysiology (EP) nurse. So, basically that world or area of nursing used me on a daily basis for 3 man hours at the price of 1 and sadly this is the norm now throughout the nation and profession because nurses refuse to take a stand. These 3 areas are all a separate specialty and to expect one group of people run all three for the price of 1 is insanity to me!!! Oh, and did I mention the mandatory weekly call of 3 to 4 days on top of your work schedule with on-call pay at $3 an hour! And don't get me started on pay for what nurses do, it's absolutely laughable to me. Raises haven't kept nowhere near the rate of inflation over the last 30 years for sure, so the $36-38 an hour they try to offer you if it were adjusted for inflation would actually have to be $76.55-80.81 in today's dollars to have the same purchasing power you had back then if you truly adjusted for inflation. Getting paid $36-38 an hour today is actually like getting paid $17-18 an hour. It's egregious and absolutely insane! I think that the entire profession should be unionized from the moment you graduate with a nursing degree. I really wish it was. We should be able to negotiate a professional working contract just like doctors do, period.

3 Votes

I'm a bit late to this party.

I work at a hospital in WA state in an ambulatory surgery clinic. I was hired at the beginning of 2018 as a temporary employee and have since moved on to permanent status.

I was told upon being hired that my clinic was not part of the union; I found out recently that we were not even part of the collective bargaining agreement but I'll get there in one second. A few of my coworkers were (and still are) very smug that "we get all the benefits of the union but don't have to pay union dues".

When I was offered my permanent position in June, I met with HR to renegotiate pay; in WA state, LPNs pay range is from 19-27 dollars an hour and I was making 19.70. In contrast, medical assistants range from 14-19 dollars an hour and my hospital pays them starting 18.84 an hour. I was not happy and thought that I should be paid more because, in the job contract, LPNs are expected to do more "owing to the increased scope of practice." I was told (politely) to go F myself. But that isn't the reason I will be joining the union.

We get our benefits from Sound Health and Wellness; just last week, we were all told that Sound Health and Wellness really only provides insurance and coverage to members who are covered by a collective bargaining agreement. So, our clinic is now to be included in the collective bargaining agreement between the hospital and UFCW local 21. I had no idea we were not covered at all.

We have until the end of January 2019 to decide if we want to become union members or not. I believe this is a choice we are making as individuals and not as a clinic. I know I will be becoming a union member because I do not trust the hospital administration and especially not our HR department to make any changes or do anything for MY benefit.

3 Votes
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