Unionized workers?

-jt · Jan 7, 2003

To correct that misconception -

100,000 unionized staff nurses in the ANA most certainly did get up & do something about that.

They demanded a national union & made it happen -- Twenty-six unionized state associations of the ANA, (which is all of the ANA state assoc that have union services, except Hawaii - for now) - united and formed an RN national labor union, affiliated with the ANA. Its called the United American Nurses (UAN)/AFL-CIO.

It was several years in the making & is brand new, up & running into its 3rd year. It consists of over 100,000 unionized ANA nurses from all over the country (including the South & "right-to-work" at-will states) - all of them working staff RNs and only working staff RNs (meaning direct-pt-care RNs in hospitals, nursing homes, surgical centers, dialyisis centers, clinics, schools, home care, etc - including full time, part time, and per diem RN staff).

The UAN is run by & for the working staff RN. The union's president, leadership, and board of directors are all staff RN members who are elected by the other staff RN members. The UAN is the largest RN union in the nation. In 2001, it became the 3rd largest union of all unions within the AFL-CIO, and was elected by the other unions to hold a seat on the AFL-CIO Executive Board. That means that unionized staff RNs are in a position of political power in the house of labor in this country.

The following state nurses assocs have union programs & are already part of the UAN:

Alabama

Alaska

Colorado

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

Montana

Nevada

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Oregon

US Virgin Islands

Utah

Washington State

West Virgina

Wyoming...

...With over 100,000 UAN unionized working staff RNs throughout those states - all of them members of the ANA as well.

Nurses in these states and even those who live in states that aren't on this list, can contact the UAN directly for more info.

A new website is being constructed, but the old one is still up at http://www.UANnurse.org

also, see http://www.UANnurse.org/uan/organize/

nur.bmb · Jan 7, 2003

Our facility has had a nurses union for 13 years. We work in Ohio and are represented by the Lawyers and Organizing Specialists of the Ohio Nurses Association. We do not profess to have wonderful working conditions, but overall the situation is much better than before we organized. We survey our nursing staff to find out the issues that concern them most and then when we have contract negotiations, we work toward the best contract to help the most staff. We were the first local unit to have NO MANDATORY OT in our contract.

Some states are 'right to work' states and do not support unions for any profession. Check with your state Nurses Association, or the above mentioned UAN (United American Nurse) site.

Good Luck

Organizing is difficult-you need to work together-but is definately worth the effort.

-jt · Jan 7, 2003

some have exhaustion. some have a disbelief that they can change anything. and some still have fear.

but some don't.

for a quick glimpse at what unionized ANA RNs of the United American Nurses/AFL-CIO have been accomplishing at their workplaces around the country & in their state legislatures, see also:

UAN News

http://www.uannurse.org/uan/news.htm

Nurses win improvements in staffing, working conditions

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25695

Ohio Nurses Assoc & its members are a part of it. :)

-jt · Jan 9, 2003

Nurses in every state have the right to be part of a union & have an equal say with their employer in the decision making that affects their working conditions, practice, & terms of employment. "Anti-union state" or not.

I hope those posts help answer some of your questions.

http://www.UANnurse.org/uan/organize/