Collective Bargaining

[lindsaykapp]

I am a nursing student about to graduate in December and wanted to know more about unions for nurses. Are they good, bad, etc. Also, if looking at a union hospital...what should I look for in a contract? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[mlbnocnurse]

The biggest RN union in CA is the CNA/NNOC (California Nurses Assoc/National Nurses Organizing Committee). It is the only all RN statewide union. There are a few smaller unions that represent a few smaller hospitals. Southern CA Kaiser hospitals & clinics have there own union (this is the largest non CNA union that I am aware of). I am very active in the CNA @ my hospital (a Catholic Healthcare West hospital, Mercy hosp in Bakersfield).

The CNA fought for the nurse patient ratios that we now have in CA. They are involved in healthcare reform, & are trying to give a voice to nurses every where. The web site is calnurse.org. In short I belive that unions for nurses are very important. We need to have a voice to function in our roles as patient advocates. Having worked in my hospital both before & after we voted to go union, I can tell you that there is a diff. in pay when you work for a union hospital.

Some of the important things to look for in a contract are: job protections, differentials (swing shift, night shift, certification pay {ACLS, BSN etc.}), are the nurse-patient ratios included in the contract, how seniority is handled, how jobs are awarded.

If you are hired @ a union hospital I would suggest that you find out who your nurse representives are, when they hold meetings, & how you can get involved. A union is only as strong as its members.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

check out our collective bargaining and nursing union discussion forum for more info.

[lindsaykapp]

Thank you so much for the info. It will be of great value.