Health-care unions may make push in Nashville

[herring_RN, ASN, BSN]

Big Nashville-based hospital chains should brace for stepped-up efforts to recruit their nurses if a series of mergers and agreements among some of the nation's largest healthcare workers' unions achieves organizers' goals. Nurse organizers expect that a larger organization with 150,000 members and the arrangement with the Service Employees International Union will provide a boost to organizing efforts at chains such as HCA. Recruiting nurses has been difficult in Southern states, including Tennessee, where laws don't allow for mandatory union membership at work. ...

..."We'll have a stronger voice and a strong push to place patients over profits," said Kathy McGregor, a nurse organizer for the National Nurses Organizing Committee overseeing efforts here. The idea is to lay a foundation for the future and increase advocacy on behalf of patients' care, she said.

Hospital administrators, however, would prefer that unions stay away.

"Direct communication between supervisors and employees is the best tool for creating a positive work environment," said Mike Cassity, vice president of human resources with HCA's TriStar Health System hospital group....

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009904010374

[annyoklie]

Tennessee is one of the many states that NEED unions. I completely agree that if management is good, there is no need for a union, but everywhere I've worked, the HR department publishes an employee handbook with nothing but mumble/jumble,very few black and white and a horrendous amount of grey. There is NOONE to help us...the squeeky wheel walks the plank alone.

[RN4MERCY]

..."We'll have a stronger voice and a strong push to place patients over profits," said Kathy McGregor, a nurse organizer for the National Nurses Organizing Committee overseeing efforts here. The idea is to lay a foundation for the future and increase advocacy on behalf of patients' care, she said.

Hospital administrators, however, would prefer that unions stay away.

"Direct communication between supervisors and employees is the best tool for creating a positive work environment,"

Positive work environment for whom? Managers and executives want to retain the abusive policies of being able to fire employees who disagree with them at will! That's the "direct communication" those supervisors fear losing...one way and one sided is just the way they like it. And that's not good for patients or the profession of nursing.

Without a union, individuals must go into the manager/supervisor's office ALONE. Without a union, you might as well check your rights at the door...the right to due process and fairness in the grievance, discipline, and evaluation process for starters.

The hospital executives are united and they have a contract covering the terms (wages, hours, and working conditions) of their employment. Why not the nurses? Looks like the NNOC is about to change all that and become the union of choice for Tennessee nurses. A voice that speaks with them, not for them. A voice that will become the great equalizer between HCA management and the nurses that are employed by that highly profitable chain.

[annyoklie]

Did anyone know that you can receive a verbal warning while you're walking down the hall? YES you can...and not even know about it. Not the way due process works. They're flying by the seat of their pants!