Collective Bargaining..

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.

Can anyone explain this to me?.. I tried reading some articles online and the section about it in my management text book and just cant figure it out :(

This is the question my teacher wants us to answer. i HAVE no clue how to answer this either.

Discuss how collective bargaining impacts the social, political, and economic issues found in today's healthcare delivery system.

Im not asking for you all to write the answer just to clarify..pLeassssse :D

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Collective Bargaining equals Union. How it effects healthcare depends on your point of view. Are you management or staff?

The management/administration really hate nursing unions...they say they increase costs, have unreasonable demands and are destroying healthcare by making staffing ratios a part their contracts. Administration typically don't like anything that restricts their ability to do as they wish and bind them but law and contract.......especially in today's market. Nurses that don't support unions are generally uncomfortable with the thought of striking.

The nurses feel that the unions protect them and give them their rights and protect their interests in maintaining a safe working environment. They demand a fair wage (typically higher than non-union) and better benefits and pensions (which are essentially are non existent in the non union facility). They demand the hospital treat them equally and protect their jobs.

You might want to post this in the union/collective bargaining section of AN.(Collective Bargaining / Nursing Union - Nurses / Nursing Students) You should also contact some nursing unions like the MNA who is also a part of the National Nurses Union. (Massachusetts Nurses Association - Home)

Me? The was a time that I didn't think nursing needed to unionize to be treated with respect but that was before hospitals were run by corporate America and for profit organizations. Now I think it is a necessity.

I hope this helped.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

The facility and the union get together to "bargain" on specific issues. Non-resolution can affect staffing and patient care. Once a contract is signed the union still has no influence over requirements by governing bodies, and that may create conflict. Some people perceive the union as promoting the unproductive worker - regardless of competency - as senority is prime. Others feel the facility is always trying to take advantage of workers. Look at it from a patient's view point. This may help you decide.

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looking at some of the gains unions have made for nursing, they look pretty positive for patient care. as a matter of fact, patient care is historically at or near the top of the list for organized nurses.

think about mandated minimum staffing levels, safe workplace rules, continuing education benefits, and better pay (attracting more applicants for open positions)-- all positive for patients.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.

Thank you everyone! :D

esme12- at the googling. i did that and came up short. i came here bc , well theres lots of nurses and probably know whats goin on job wise then little ol student me :shy: ;)

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Sometime you just need the right key words to get the answer

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think about mandated minimum staffing levels, safe workplace rules, continuing education benefits, and better pay (attracting more applicants for open positions)-- all positive for patients.

showing only one side of the two sided sword of unions is a little meh.

there is also an inability for hospitals to deal with staff that should be let go.

that better pay is tempered with union dues.

management does not always have the unfettered ability to promote due to ability.

attendance becomes paramount to performance.

politics increases by about 3x.

individuals are rarely singled out for a pay increase which means if the group doesn't get paid more, then you don't get paid more.

in the end, if the hospital decides to not agree with the union on these items, you could be put in a situation where your job/promotion are on the line.

6,000 nurses strike in california - cnn

highest paid nurses in the country walking out around christmas time over $20 out of their check.

if you strike, you maybe fired later or railroaded into a dead end. if you cross that line, your peers will think bad of you and you will be running a dangerously compromised hospital with your license on the line. that's the definition of a no win scenario.

you will find often times unions equate things such as doing less work and getting paid more for it equal to "better patient satisfaction".

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