would you cross a picket line????

fedupnurse · Jul 21, 2002

But it is exactly about not supporting your fellow nurses! It is the people who crossed my picket line that helped the hospital keep us out for 3 long months! Had no one crossed for the money or whatever other reason (excuse, really) our strike would have been over in a couple of days! Strikebreaking is the worst kind on blood money I can think of.

nur.bmb · Jul 21, 2002

No way!

I work in a facility where the nurses did strike in '89 for 5 months. We had put up with all we could from administration. They even hired a special VP that had a reputation as a strike breaker. He moved on to another facility after 3-4 years.

We had good results on our patient care issues and the community backed us 100%. We were even able to have "No Mandatory OT" put in the contract back then, and boy is the hospital sorry now they agreed to that provision!!!

We have negotiated several contracts since then, and it took 5-6 years for the hospital to realize we (the union) were not going away.

I have been on the negotiating team 4 times, and have held office in our local unit almost all the 13 years we have been organized. We, as a group, feel that working conditions and patient care issues are almost as bad now as they were 13 yrs. ago!

We start negotiations in 3 weeks-wish us luck!!!!!!!

live4today, RN · Jul 21, 2002

"Would I cross a picket line?"

Only to take the picketers something cold to drink, and something yummy to eat....that's if it's in the summertime, mind you. Now, if they're picketing in the winter time, I'd go serve them hot chocolate, coffee, hot tea, hot soup, and something yummy for the tummy. :kiss :chuckle

JailRN · Jul 21, 2002

NO NO NO A htousand times NO. The employers don't care about the patients, the almighty dollar is their god. They will pay millions of dollare to strike breakers, who could het very hurt, crossing the line. but won't pay their own employees fairly. Nurses are a bunch of caring people who don't ask for the moon. We deserve to be compencated fairly for our education and dedication, all of which seems to mean nothing to today's employer.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2002

Howdy yall

from deep in the heart of texas

Well if the almighty dollar is their god, let me the first to separate them from it and into my pocket with their strike bustin wages.

MORE MONEY EQUALS MORE GOLF

i CAN BE BOUGHT BUT I AINT CHEAP BABE

PapaPete · Jul 21, 2002

So many selfish nurses. I would HAVE to cross the picket line, because the patients need someone to take care of them. Unlike most of you, I entered Nursing to HELP people, not whine about the poor pay, conditions or workload. Doesn't anyone care about the patients anymore? If you all really hate your job, then get another profession.

Dr. Kate, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2002

Never say never or always, because it just isn't always that clear and easy.

One of the facilities where I work is unionized. The last strike was just before I started there. I asked a friend who was there during the strike what he thought and was told "it was all about money." But the strike was couched in patient care issues--and not even very good ones at that. When implemented, the same staff that insisted they had been on strike to get those things refused to use or implement the patient safety things they said they had gone on strike for. Makes it hard to believe the strike wasn't just about money. What was hard for me to stomach was the nurses who went on strike trashed the open heart ICU and hid life-saving equipment (and we all know nurses know where to hide things so they're never found.)

It's one thing to strike for better working conditions, patient safety, and even reasonable wages, it's another to make it virtually impossible for the patients who are in the hospital during the strike to receive the care they deserve. The patients had nothing to do with the strike and no recourse to the conditions and situation they are thrust into because of the strike.

Peeps Mcarthur · Jul 21, 2002

Quote from Kate

When implemented, the same staff that insisted they had been on strike to get those things refused to use or implement the patient safety things they said they had gone on strike for.

Were the "safety things" the same ones the nurses proposed, or did they get "compromised" in a deal because admin wouldn't be flexible?

That's the usual:rolleyes:

-jt · Jul 25, 2002

When one realizes that a strike need not happen at all & its the hospital that is choosing to undergo an RN strike by its refusal to negotiate come hell or high water, its hard to see how they have any concern for the pts. Yet the hospital many times insist on doing just that. Strikes occur after many months of attempts by the RNs to reach fair solutions, but when the hospital plays hardball & has them against the wall, a strike is the last resort - still it doesnt happen unless the hospital wants it to. The ball is in the hospitals court to easily avert a strike, yet they choose an RN strike over compromises with the RNs on the issues .

It behooves the hospital to get its act together & start making a real effort at good faith negotiating so it can avoid a strike altogether. If they refuse to, then its their responsibility to make sure they move pts to other facilities to get them the care they deserve as they insist on forcing their own RNs out the door. If thats unfair & inconvenient to the pts, a logistical nightmare for the hosptial, & they dont want to do it, then the hospital could always reconsider its refusal to negotiate, come back to the table with fair offers, & the RNs will call off their strike before it even starts.

So its the hospitals choice if the strike is going to happen or not.

Sometimes the threat of a strike is enough to make them see the light & come back to the table. Unfortunately, sometimes, the hospital does not have the pts as their first concern - they would just rather pay millions for strikebreakers to keep itself in business instead of addressing the RNs issues (usually working conditions & pt safety) & refusing to make compromises on them and avoid a strike. It really makes one wonder.

-jt · Jul 25, 2002

quote from Papapete

>

In answer to that, I have to say:

My RN license does not stipulate that I lie down like a doormat to be walked all over. Nor does it state that to be an RN, I am to give up all expectations of a fair wage and benefits. Nor is my RN license an agreement to relinquish my family life, my health, or my US labor rights. Nor does it say anywhere on my license that I must constantly put that license on the line whenever anyone else orders me to - just so they can save a buck. And when I insist on things like safe staffing and a safe number of working hours, and a manageable pt ratio to safely provide the care those pts need, Id say that I most certainly do care about the pt. In fact, I care so much about them that I am willing to take it to the streets if thats what it takes to get the hospital administrators to provide the pt safety that we & they deserve.

Peeps Mcarthur · Jul 25, 2002

Gee:rolleyes: which argument makes more sense if you're a nurse and not an.....uhhhmmm.administrator .

HA!:chuckle You suits are so cute when you're spreading propaganda.

Oh, wait......so you can pick it out of a thread as you wisk by looking for someone that agrees with you.........PROPAGANDA

Gomer · Jul 25, 2002

Hey, Peeps...

Is that your standard reply...you accused me of being an "administrator" too. Just because someone is not pro-union doesn't make them management...makes them smart, but not management.