Decertification Petition Filed Against the California Nurses Association

StephRN89 · Jun 20, 2005

Nurses at Scripps Encinitas Hospital in San Diego County California have filed a petition to Decertify the California Nurses Association.
The California Nurses Association have made several unsuccessful attempts to strike at the hospital and have failed to garner enough support among staff nurses.
A copy of the petition is available from the National Labor Relations Board or download the petition now at http://www.stopunions.com

What has happened at Scripps Encinitas to cause the nurses to want to remove them? I did a search and the CNA has not announced this

How did the CNA let this happen? How did the nurses there become so unhappy with the union? I thought the union was supposed to empower the nurses and the nurse would be so happy that this could never happen?

I found a website that looks like it was made by unhappy nurses at Scripps Encinitas. It is called http://www.notinourhouse.org They must have been terribly unhappy with the union if they just voted them in two years ago and are already trying to remove them. Do you work at Scripps

Sheri257 · Jun 20, 2005

What has happened at Scripps Encinitas to cause the nurses to want to remove them?

I'd wait and see how the vote turns out before I'd jump to that conclusion. This is just a request for an election.

:rolleyes:

Sherwood · Jun 20, 2005

I'd wait and see how the vote turns out before I'd jump to that conclusion. This is just a request for an election.

It does take a petition with the signatures of at least 30% of the bargaining unit for the NLRB to grant an election. Most people will collect more that is needed to add some cushion.

That is a lot of unhappy nurses. How effective can the union be with so many nurses dissatisfied with the California Nurses Association? I am sure that the notice that the CNA is raising the dues won't help. How about the notice of the demand for payment letter the CNA has recently sent to nurses?

Some nurses are getting demands for over $1800.00 with a statement saying don't call us, pay within 30 days or we will notify your human resources depart that under the terms of the union contract we request you be TERMINATED!! See http://www.stopunions.com and download copies of the notices sent by the CNA.

lindarn · Jun 20, 2005

It does take a petition with the signatures of at least 30% of the bargaining unit for the NLRB to grant an election. Most people will collect more that is needed to add some cushion.
That is a lot of unhappy nurses. How effective can the union be with so many nurses dissatisfied with the California Nurses Association? I am sure that the notice that the CNA is raising the dues won't help. How about the notice of the demand for payment letter the CNA has recently sent to nurses? Some nurses are getting demands for over $1800.00 with a statement saying don't call us, pay within 30 days or we will notify your human resources depart that under the terms of the union contract we request you be TERMINATED!! See http://www.stopunions.com and download copies of the notices sent by the CNA.

PARDON ME! If you don't make the payment on your car loan, doesn't the bank re- possess your car? Why should the nurses at Scripps think that if they don't pay dues there will be no repercussions? Maybe the nurses at Scripps would like to be represented by the Washington State Nurses Association. Let me give you an example of the stellar represention by them. They have allowed Washington State to institute "medication aides", in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, the nurses at Sacred Heart haven't seen a real wage increase that wasn't immediately eaten up by an SIGNIFICANT INCREASE in their medical benefits, but the hospital had enough money to take over the doctor owned Heart Institute. They layed off ALL OF THE NURSES THAT WERE EMPLOYED THERE. The Heart Institute nurses were just like you Sherwood, they did not want to be represented by a union. Some went to the other big hospital here, Deaconess, which was so far in the red a couple of years ago, they institued a 9% PAY CUT ACROSS THE BOARD. There was no place else to go. They have only given back to 6%. Now they are all out of a job in a small town where there are three schools of nursing. The hospital also built a Children's Hospital from the ground up. In these austere times, the hospital CEO has a hospital paid membersip to the Spokane Club, a ritzy health club, that is one of his administrative perks. Better that patients go without care, that he gives up his membeship. I bet his free membership helps to improve patient outcomes.

The other hospitals here that were not unionized, all unionized after this episode, as did all of the LPN's, aides, RT's, secretaries, etc, because, it seems that, as in the red as Deaconness was, they could not cut the pay of the few hospital employees groups that were unionized. Deaconness also outsourced its houskeeping staff, (and the other hospitals also were considering oursourcing some departments), and started to make noise about doing that with RT. They all saw the writing on the wall- IF YOU ARE NOT UNIONIZED, YOU HAVE NO JOB PROTECTION/SECURITY, AND ARE PAID MUCH LESS THAT UNION COUNTER- PARTS. Unfortunately, the nurses at Sacred Heart continue their membership with a very dysfunctional group, WSNA. The nurses and staff at Deaconess, as have the other departments at Sacred Heart and Valley, have sinced unionized with 1199, SEIU, as have the nurses at Valley Hospital. They took one look at WSNA and ran the other way.

WSNA is also responsible for the "kangaroo court grievances" that are required when one has a beef with the management or administration, or when one get in trouble for something.

Sacred Heart also laid off ALL OF THE LPN'S THAT WERE EMPLOYED THERE. They hired some RN's to fill in the blanks for staffing, but did not hire back RN's one for one. So the floors have heavier workloads due to lack of staff. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I could go on about how ineffective WSNA was and is, but I would probably burn out the hard drive on my computer. I would bet that the nurses in Washington State, especially in Spokane, would love to be represented by CNA, and dump the worthless Washington State Nurses Association. As it is, all of the young nurses are, and have, packed their bags and are leaving to work agency, and/or move to Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Tri Cities, or California, where they can earn much higher pay and much better benefits. I am sure the very anti- union hospitals here would love to have you here in Spokane. You can work for probably 50% less than what you make in California, and pay 20% more for your medical benefits, and God help you if you are disrespectful to a doctor. Since you work in ICU, you can have the pleasure of having family members at the bedside morning noon and night, asking for pillows, coffee, snacks, looking at your other patients' chart, etc. God help you if you ask them to step out. Patients and their families treat you as if you were nothing more important that High School drop out hired help, with no brain. When you complain to WSNA, you get a union rep who is more concerned with making the administration happy, and your needs, concerns and unfair treatment are secondary. When you lose your grievance with the union, they refuse to take it to arbitration, and you are left with nothing. As you can see, you would be very happy in anti- union Spokane, Washington. You would be happier than a pig in $hit.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, WA

lindarn · Jun 20, 2005

PARDON ME! If you don't make the payment on your car loan, doesn't the bank re- possess your car? Why should the nurses at Scripps think that if they don't pay dues there will be no repercussions? Maybe the nurses at Scripps would like to be represented by the Washington State Nurses Association. Let me give you an example of the stellar represention by them. They have allowed Washington State to institute "medication aides", in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, the nurses at Sacred Heart haven't seen a real wage increase that wasn't immediately eaten up by an SIGNIFICANT INCREASE in their medical benefits, but the hospital had enough money to take over the doctor owned Heart Institute. They layed off ALL OF THE NURSES THAT WERE EMPLOYED THERE. The Heart Institute nurses were just like you Sherwood, they did not want to be represented by a union. Some went to the other big hospital here, Deaconess, which was so far in the red a couple of years ago, they institued a 9% PAY CUT ACROSS THE BOARD. There was no place else to go. They have only given back to 6%. Now they are all out of a job in a small town where there are three schools of nursing. The hospital also built a Children's Hospital from the ground up. In these austere times, the hospital CEO has a hospital paid membersip to the Spokane Club, a ritzy health club, that is one of his administrative perks. Better that patients go without care, that he gives up his membeship. I bet his free membership helps to improve patient outcomes.
The other hospitals here that were not unionized, all unionized after this episode, as did all of the LPN's, aides, RT's, secretaries, etc, because, it seems that, as in the red as Deaconness was, they could not cut the pay of the few hospital employees groups that were unionized. Deaconness also outsourced its houskeeping staff, (and the other hospitals also were considering oursourcing some departments), and started to make noise about doing that with RT. They all saw the writing on the wall- IF YOU ARE NOT UNIONIZED, YOU HAVE NO JOB PROTECTION/SECURITY, AND ARE PAID MUCH LESS THAT UNION COUNTER- PARTS. Unfortunately, the nurses at Sacred Heart continue their membership with a very dysfunctional group, WSNA. The nurses and staff at Deaconess, as have the other departments at Sacred Heart and Valley, have sinced unionized with 1199, SEIU, as have the nurses at Valley Hospital. They took one look at WSNA and ran the other way.
WSNA is also responsible for the "kangaroo court grievances" that are required when one has a beef with the management or administration, or when one get in trouble for something.
Sacred Heart also laid off ALL OF THE LPN'S THAT WERE EMPLOYED THERE. They hired some RN's to fill in the blanks for staffing, but did not hire back RN's one for one. So the floors have heavier workloads due to lack of staff. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I could go on about how ineffective WSNA was and is, but I would probably burn out the hard drive on my computer. I would bet that the nurses in Washington State, especially in Spokane, would love to be represented by CNA, and dump the worthless Washington State Nurses Association. As it is, all of the young nurses are, and have, packed their bags and are leaving to work agency, and/or move to Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Tri Cities, or California, where they can earn much higher pay and much better benefits. I am sure the very anti- union hospitals here would love to have you here in Spokane. You can work for probably 50% less than what you make in California, and pay 20% more for your medical benefits, and God help you if you are disrespectful to a doctor. Since you work in ICU, you can have the pleasure of having family members at the bedside morning noon and night, asking for pillows, coffee, snacks, looking at your other patients' chart, etc. God help you if you ask them to step out. Patients and their families treat you as if you were nothing more important that High School drop out hired help, with no brain. When you complain to WSNA, you get a union rep who is more concerned with making the administration happy, and your needs, concerns and unfair treatment are secondary. When you lose your grievance with the union, they refuse to take it to arbitration, and you are left with nothing. As you can see, you would be very happy in anti- union Spokane, Washington. You would be happier than a pig in $hit.
Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, WA

I forgot to mention- the aides, RT's, secretaries, X- Ray techs, etc that organized with 1199, bargained for and received, Seattle/Tacoma area wages, whch are about 25% higher that the pay in Spokane. So the nurses are working side by side with lesser educated individuals, and have more responsibities than individuals who are earing more than they are. Come on down!

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

Sherwood · Jun 20, 2005

PARDON ME! If you don't make the payment on your car loan, doesn't the bank re- possess your car? Why should the nurses at Scripps think that if they don't pay dues there will be no repercussions? Maybe the nurses at Scripps would like to be represented by the Washington State Nurses Association. Let me give you an example of the stellar represention by them. They have allowed Washington State to institute "medication aides", in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, the nurses at Sacred Heart haven't seen a real wage increase that wasn't immediately eaten up by an SIGNIFICANT INCREASE in their medical benefits, but the hospital had enough money to take over the doctor owned Heart Institute. They layed off ALL OF THE NURSES THAT WERE EMPLOYED THERE. The Heart Institute nurses were just like you Sherwood, they did not want to be represented by a union. Some went to the other big hospital here, Deaconess, which was so far in the red a couple of years ago, they institued a 9% PAY CUT ACROSS THE BOARD. There was no place else to go. They have only given back to 6%. Now they are all out of a job in a small town where there are three schools of nursing. The hospital also built a Children's Hospital from the ground up. In these austere times, the hospital CEO has a hospital paid membersip to the Spokane Club, a ritzy health club, that is one of his administrative perks. Better that patients go without care, that he gives up his membeship. I bet his free membership helps to improve patient outcomes.
The other hospitals here that were not unionized, all unionized after this episode, as did all of the LPN's, aides, RT's, secretaries, etc, because, it seems that, as in the red as Deaconness was, they could not cut the pay of the few hospital employees groups that were unionized. Deaconness also outsourced its houskeeping staff, (and the other hospitals also were considering oursourcing some departments), and started to make noise about doing that with RT. They all saw the writing on the wall- IF YOU ARE NOT UNIONIZED, YOU HAVE NO JOB PROTECTION/SECURITY, AND ARE PAID MUCH LESS THAT UNION COUNTER- PARTS. Unfortunately, the nurses at Sacred Heart continue their membership with a very dysfunctional group, WSNA. The nurses and staff at Deaconess, as have the other departments at Sacred Heart and Valley, have sinced unionized with 1199, SEIU, as have the nurses at Valley Hospital. They took one look at WSNA and ran the other way.
WSNA is also responsible for the "kangaroo court grievances" that are required when one has a beef with the management or administration, or when one get in trouble for something.
Sacred Heart also laid off ALL OF THE LPN'S THAT WERE EMPLOYED THERE. They hired some RN's to fill in the blanks for staffing, but did not hire back RN's one for one. So the floors have heavier workloads due to lack of staff. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I could go on about how ineffective WSNA was and is, but I would probably burn out the hard drive on my computer. I would bet that the nurses in Washington State, especially in Spokane, would love to be represented by CNA, and dump the worthless Washington State Nurses Association. As it is, all of the young nurses are, and have, packed their bags and are leaving to work agency, and/or move to Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Tri Cities, or California, where they can earn much higher pay and much better benefits. I am sure the very anti- union hospitals here would love to have you here in Spokane. You can work for probably 50% less than what you make in California, and pay 20% more for your medical benefits, and God help you if you are disrespectful to a doctor. Since you work in ICU, you can have the pleasure of having family members at the bedside morning noon and night, asking for pillows, coffee, snacks, looking at your other patients' chart, etc. God help you if you ask them to step out. Patients and their families treat you as if you were nothing more important that High School drop out hired help, with no brain. When you complain to WSNA, you get a union rep who is more concerned with making the administration happy, and your needs, concerns and unfair treatment are secondary. When you lose your grievance with the union, they refuse to take it to arbitration, and you are left with nothing. As you can see, you would be very happy in anti- union Spokane, Washington. You would be happier than a pig in $hit.
Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, WA

I am sorry. I obviously did not make myself clear enough in the post you refer to. It is not Scripps Nurses that are getting the pay up or your fired notices. It is nurses across the state who the CNA is just discovering that they had either not paid or underpaid their dues. All CNA nurses should be getting their dues increase notices.

Did you read the notices by the way? How can the CNA be helping to solve the nursing shortage and helping attract nurses back to the bedside when they are threatening nurses with termination? Don't say the nurses should pay their dues or find another job. Why should they have to look for other work if they are otherwise happy where they are? What if the next nearest hospital is many miles away? What if that nurse is an exemplary employee and and excellent nurse? The CNA would rather fire a good nurse and let the patients suffer all for a few bucks? Who is fighting for the patients and nurses now?

I advocate that California become a "Right to Work State". Then we would all have a fair choice.

live4today, RN · Jun 20, 2005

Unions do NOT work FOR nurses! :nono:

The ONLY thing that will work for nurses are NURSES who ban together in strength utilizing their MENTAL power in the healthcare field to make changes for the betterment of ALL nurses and ALL patients across the U.S.A. :)

It is STILL a MAN'S world, and WOMEN are still NOT being taken seriously in female dominated professions, or in any other profession for that matter. :rolleyes:

We're still barking up the wrong tree in trying to make positive changes in nursing and healthcare. :stone

Sherwood · Jun 20, 2005

Unions do NOT work FOR nurses!
The ONLY thing that will work for nurses are NURSES who ban together in strength utilizing their MENTAL power in the healthcare field to make changes for the betterment of ALL nurses and ALL patients across the U.S.A. :)
It is STILL a MAN'S world, and WOMEN are still NOT being taken seriously in female dominated professions, or in any other profession for that matter.
We're still barking up the wrong tree in trying to make positive changes in nursing and healthcare. :stone

Well you and I do agree that unions do not work for nurses. Unions only serve to create a source of income for their executives and their top recruiters.

Being a man and a nurse I do not agree that women are not being taken seriously. I take all of them very seriously and I have a high respect for them. This is hard, stressfull and serious work, they do their job and they do it well. For these reasons and many others I know that nurses can make changes faster and better without a union.

The unions line is that nurses are weak and powerless without big brother union watching their back. I know and we know better. Nurses voices are heard louder and stronger and will be much more respected without the agressive, self serving and often unprofessional tactics of unions such as the CNA.

Nancy2 · Jun 29, 2005

Congratulations to the RNs of Scripps Encinitas. Filing a decert petition isn't easy!

I called the NLRB and they said that the election is to be held the 27th and 28th of July. It will be interesting to see what happens, no hospital has decertified CNA since 1979. I'm sure their new dues collector will help their efforts. :chuckle

I saw a flyer with a nurse from Good Samaritan Hospital on it saying "dues are worth it!".. I'm sure she believes this since she is on the CNA payroll. The LM2s on the http://www.stopunions.com website reports her earnings from CNA. Now that is some real credibility!!!!!!!!! :uhoh3:

fergus51 · Jun 29, 2005

Cheerfuldoer, the unions ARE nurses working for the betterment of patients and nurses. Maybe you don't like them, but that doesn't change the fact that many nurses do and they have accomplished a LOT, especially in California where the ratios due mainly to CNA are in place for ALL nurses and patients in the state.

As for why nurses who work in a union shop have to belong to the union, I would think that would be fairly obvious: because no one in this life gets a free ride at the expense of others. You might not like the other choices you have, but you do have them.

BGSRN · Jul 1, 2005

I wish we did not need a union, however it is the less of two evils from my perspective.