does a ballot cast in private or a card signed in public better reveal a worker's true preference about whether to join a union? a private vote is the obvious answer, but organized labor has nonetheless made the misleadingly named employee free choice act (efca, h.r. 800) its highest legislative priority.
recently, unions have switched the focus of their organizing operations from private balloting to publicly signed cards. these so-called card-check campaigns make it much easier for unions to organize workers, but most companies strongly resist the idea of denying their employees a vote. unions now want the government to take away workers' right to vote and certify unions after only a card-check campaign. the employee free choice act would do this and more.
A little discontent and civil action has been required every time progress for working people and professionals has been achieved.
One of the things that I admire about the IWW is its emphasis on solidarity for workers and working together to make things better. From Solidarity forever (link embedded):
I think nurses should learn that they can speak for themselves, negotiate for themselves, and stand up for theirselves! They also need to realize that regardless of what the unions want them to think, they are not so weak and oppressed that they need a union to speak for them. The ridiculous songs posted above are just that, ridiculous. If unions are the end all to our problems, why aren't we all already unionized? Why does the list of union decertifications grow daily? Why are the unions being decertified by nurses when they are able to afford the nurses so many wonderful things like raises, better benefits, better working conditions, etc?? Explain that to me......
Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.
Nurses can speak for themselves, but individually they are dispensible and replaceable...as a group, not so much.
Unions are sort of like vaccines...when the disease is spreading the vaccine is viewed as a life saver. When the spread of disease is controlled the vaccine is viewed as an intrusion and unreasonable requirement.
A union is invited into a workplace which is treating the professional staff badly, promoting unsafe care, and is unwilling to change based upon evidenced based proposals. The union helps the facility to change, the staff become more satisfied over time, and the union becomes less attractive to new staff. Thats the circle of life...another silly song.
I don't like the EFCA. Unions aren't winning enough elections, so the solution is to eliminate elections? It's wrong for employers to harass employees who want to unionize, so let's make it okay for unions to harass employees who don't want to unionize?
I don't like the EFCA. Unions aren't winning enough elections, so the solution is to eliminate elections? It's wrong for employers to harass employees who want to unionize, so let's make it okay for unions to harass employees who don't want to unionize?
Again, the EFCA doesn't "eliminate elections" -- it just makes it the choice of the employees themselves, rather than the employers, whether or not to use a secret ballot.
I often read upon these threads , in contributions by anti union nurses , how individual nurses are so strong that they do not need a unions backing to stand up to their employers . Yet these same nurses are usually the ones that say that nurses cannot resist union " intimidation " , during a organizing campaign at a hospital . Please , which is it are nurse strong or weak ?, you can't argue it both ways .
The reality is that the only real intimidation comes from employers , THEY can threaten your livelihood , the organizers can only talk to you and you can treat them as you would any other solicitor .
the reality is that unions do intimidate workers! the unions are able to gain access to all employee numbers and addresses during their "enslavement" drives. the unions try to block nurses attempts to use hospital meeting rooms to educate their fellow workers. and if forced unionism isn't intimidation, i don't know what is....
At my place of employment our managers describe our union as "partners" not serfs. I will say that IMO the union has succeeded in developing a culture of respect from top to bottom in my hospital.
PICUPNP , But you did not address the point of how is it , that you argue on one hand nurses don't need to unionize because individually they are storng enough to stand up to management without the support of a union , yet the poor things are too weak to resist union organizers " intimidation " .Which is it are nurses strong or weak ?.
HM2VikingRN, RN
4,700 Posts
Join the union, fellow workers,
Men and women, side by side;
We will crush the greedy shirkers
Like a sweeping, surging tide;
For united we are standing,
But divided we will fall;
Let this be our understanding --
"All for one and one for all.''
Workers of the world, awaken!
Rise in all your splendid might;
Take the wealth that you are making,
It belongs to you by right.
No one will for bread be crying,
We'll have freedom, love and health.
I think nurses need to read a little Joe Hill