would you cross a picket line????

-jt · Jul 25, 2002

See the thing is - the "union" is the nurses who work there. They are forced into a strike situation by their employer & they take a vote amongst themselves to go the distance. The RNs tell their union office they have to strike - not the other way around. They are fighting for their pts with the only thing left after all other efforts have failed. If it was only about them, they would just quit, find a better job someplace else, & not bother dealing with all the aggravation. Instead theyre out there trying to make their facility a better place for their pts & themselves. Its about being pro-NURSE. And being pro-PATIENT. And being pro-ACTIVE to improve the conditions both pt & RN are in. What can any nurse possibly have against that?

Just out of curiosity, what do non-union staff RNs who care about their pts do when they continue to bring to their employers attention, month after month on end, their concerns about serious pt safety, staffing, & retention problems that need to be resolved - and then get ignored? Nurses can sit on committees & talk till theyre blue in the face about what they & the pts need but what can the non-union RN do to get those things if the employer flat-out refuses?

What course can the non-union RNs take to force the employers to pay attention to their issues & take action, IF THE EMPLOYERS DONT WANT TO?

fedupnurse · Jul 25, 2002

Papapete, if you think for a single second that the hospital doesn't have ample warning to scale back before a strike occurs you are wrong. If you think for a second that sliding around on a picket line was fun you are again wrong. Had we not struck during that horrible winter, we would now be treated the way others in my area are treated by hospital administrators, and that is like dirt. I love what I do and I can't see myself doing anything else, but you clearly either are not a bedside nurse or are lucky enough to work in a facility that has adequate staffing and/or low acuity. You also have clearly never been a patient that had to wait for extended periods of time for medications because there was one RN for the entire 20 something patients on the ortho floor. I am happy for you that apparently you have found nursing nirvana. Maybe you could share with us where it is that you work so we can come join you in such a hospitable environment!

and nur.bmb, best of luck in your negotiations. Ours are thi fall too. Our suits lie about our vacancy rate and are still convinced that there is no shortage of nurses in our hospital. Guess the administrators at Papapetes hospital are open minded and not delusional!

-jt · Jul 25, 2002

Irregardless of union vs non-union,

Any nurse who does nothing about the unsafe conditions at his/her own hospital, and just allows it to persist - puts up with short staffing, forced overtime, and all the other daily abuses, knowing that the pts safety can be at risk from all of it, or just chooses to jump ship & not deal with it anymore, really has no right to pass judgements on the RNs who are trying to abolish these kinds of unsafe conditions where they work - whatever it takes. Nurses who know the management staffing practices of their facility leave pts at risk, yet do nothing to prevent or change those practices, have no right to accuse other nurses of not caring about their pts when those nurses take an action to make things better.

Next time one of them puts us down for striking, they should first answer the question "and what did YOU do to improve staffing, retention incentives, pt safety and other working conditions at YOUR hospital?"

-jt · Jul 26, 2002

Some anti-union nurses - (there is a distinction intended here between anti-union & non-union RNs) - have said they 'protest with their feet' by leaving for another job they hope will treat them better, or becoming a traveling strikebreaker, but Id like to know how is that helping the pts they walked out on for good & left in that unsafe environment? And how is walking away like this going to help improve the situation for the colleagues who remain?

This kind of 'protesting with their feet' changes nothing. In many cases, its just an excuse for the non-union hospital to bring in more UAPs. The RNs permanently leaving doesnt improve pt care or pt safety for the pts they left or change anything at that facility. Yet some of these RNs are quick to denounce union RNs for taking a stand to make those improvements themselves.

I find that to be the ultimate in hypocracy: Dont deal with the problem, dont help fix it, just put up with it, allow it to perpetuate while knowing it is wrong & dangerous, or just run away from it, and at the same time while doing nothing about it, accuse, ridicule, and denounce those who are trying to do something.

Hmmm.... well, union RNs are doing lots of somethings & sometimes also 'protest with their feet' - temporarily - & go only as far as the sidewalk in front of the hospital - on a strike line - standing together for improved working conditions and patient safety at their facility. They stay where they are & fight to make it better for themselves & the pts there - whatever it takes.

Union RNs are not the ones abandoning their pts.

fedupnurse · Jul 26, 2002

As usual -jt, you are so on the money! I am one of those who has been on various committees that have neer made progress because the suits didn't want progress! We have protested unsafe staffing for years and it has fallen on deaf ears. And I still have it better at my facility than any other facility in my area because I have a contract to protect me. AT the other facilities if you don't like something and complain they fire you. You see, administrators still have their heads in the sand as to the fact that they have created this monster called a nursing shortage by making working conditions so unreasonable that nurses are leaving the bedside in droves.

Anyone who allows conditions like this to persists, like Papapete, and doesn't try to effect positive change, is the one who is not looking out for his patients. AT least we are trying rather than bending over and taking it once again. It is attitudes like Papapete's taht keeps us in the dark ages as far as wages and working conditions go.

If I didn't give a rat's @$$ about my patients I wouldn't have gotten frostbite over it 8 years ago.

-jt · Jul 26, 2002

They know what they did, they even admit it, they just dont want to do what is necessary to fix it because that will cost them. Instead of doing what they know they have to do, theyre trying to come up with every other less expensive plan they can think of - like expanding UAP responisbilities to delegate more & have less RNs instead of investing in improving the work environment to attract RNs. At this point its become a battle of wills between employers and RNs. We arent coming back until they give us what we need to do the job right & they are inching along throwing a little bait here & there trying to get us to bite for the least little bit.

Their strategy aint working. Theyre just gonna have to bite the bullet. Thats what they have their heads in the sand about. lol

fedupnurse · Jul 26, 2002

In a very recent survey I did on my unit, the number one issue was working conditions, NOT MONEY. In fact, last year we voted down a $2.00 per hour raise because of the strings attached. That should tell people something, particularly people like Papapete. I agree with Peeps-sounds like a lurking suit to me too.

Gomer, you don't strike me as a suit. But I would ask a favor. Being that you are admittedly anti union, please don't go to work in a unionized hospital. I work with some nurses who claim to be anti union but they are the first ones who collect all the benefits of membership and file grievance after grievance about poor working conditions and unfair treatment and they also claim they will cross the line for the betterment of patients. I respect your opinion of unions (don't agree with it, but I do repect it). I just don't understand why people who are antiunion would ever work in a unionized facility when there are non union facilities close by.

Peeps Mcarthur · Jul 26, 2002

I never said Gomer, did I?.

Nope, sure didn't.

However, I did notice that JT, Fedup, and myself all stated our positions with examples and well organized thought.

Did you realize that you're not really saying anything?

How could you not. I did.

Show me I'm wrong Gomer.....lay yourself out there and let the crows pick at your carcass.

Gomer · Jul 26, 2002

Ah, Peeps you are so funny.

Every time we get in this pro-union/anti-union discussion you accuse those who are not unionists of being management and spreading (

If and when you ever become an RN, I would love to be your preceptor in my wonder non-union hospital.

Peace

Peeps Mcarthur · Jul 26, 2002

What page can I view your opinnion on anything besides how shelfish striking nurses are?

Or are you waiting for your boss to give you that too.

C'mon Gomer, what do you think of the points Jt, and fedupnurse brought up?

Debating with critticaly thinking nurses is not as easy as it looked, huh.

Peeps Mcarthur · Jul 26, 2002

AND ANOTHER THING.

If you're in a non-union hospital you will never have the pleasure of precepting me.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Jul 26, 2002

Howdy yall

From deep in the heart of texas

Well PEEPS your on a roll again, hmmm hmmm hmmm

At least yall live in states that favor unions, the good ole boys of texas have worked hard for decades to keep union activity minimal in this state compared to others. So here ot it doesnt matter if you are pro or antiunion.

But for the right money I will cross the line, and will continue to do so. Its called supporting my family the best that I can.

And playing more golf