INCREDIBLE CNA/NNOC victory in Houston.

[Chico David]

I'm posting this fast, and don't yet have all the details, but here is what I do know:

CNA just won a representation election for the RNs at Cypress Fairbanks Hospital, a part of the Tenet chain in Houston Texas.

Other than a small number of RNs employed by the federal government, this represents the first unionized nurses in the entire state a very tough organizing environment. It is the first major fruits of a three year statewide campaign.

The election was run under an organizing agreement won at the bargaining table by Tenet nurses in California.

Don't yet have numbers or other details, will make a second post when I do. I've met some of these Texas nurses and they are just the greatest. This is only the first of many organizing victories to come in this state.

[nicurn001]

I am not in the least bit amazed that the nurses you mention have worked upto 30 years without a union , great for them !.In a unionized facility , you do not check your rights at the door, you do however follow the precepts of the democratic process .If your facility undertakes a election in which the majority vote in the union , then the union is legitimately there and you have the advantages ( contract etc..)and disadvantages( dues etc..) of them being there .But nothing stops you from being active in the union to get it to be reflective of your views or to work for it's ouster ( where did your rights dissapear ? ).Or are you saying that if a vote goes against you , you are free to ignore it ?.

You may be asked to strike ( NB. asked ) after a democratic vote of those represented by the contract . As to disparaging remarks they go both ways , eg. I have heard the term " Union Nazis " uttered by nursing opponents , I think we could both feel the use of Nazis would be innapropriate by either side in this debate .The divisions are already there , they are simply held in check by fear of reprisals from management .

In all humility I ask you , if an individual cannot bring about change , for the benefit of staff and patients ,what can be done to bring about beneficial change ?.The usual response from people on your side of the arguement , is if you don't like it , go somewhere else !.I would argue that is the easy way out and it simply perpetuates the problem eg. poor staffing .

I to have been a nurse for 30+years , in all that time I have never had to go on strike , I don't wish to go on strike in the future , but if the managment of the facility , will not negotiate a settlement upon a matter important to the voting majority of nurses at my facility , then I will have to face that hurdle .

[PICUPNP]

nicurn001, Your post is sincere and I understand your position. As far as an answer to your question, there is always strength in numbers and the good of the many outweighs the good of the few. After many months of reading these forums regarding unions, it is hard to see things for what they truly are... In other words, there are those that talk about the negatives of unions as well as all of the talk regarding decertifications, so how do you know the right choice to make? If unions are so great, why all of the decertifications that are indicated in the forums? I truly believe that there is no way for these entities to exist in a right to work state. The union would never be guaranteed to get their dues, which i'm sure are a necessity, and knowing how the population at large is, there would be many, many free riders. It would be hard for me to try to support something that might not survive the test of time. Thoughts???

[herring_RN, ASN, BSN]

I think that a contract formalizing procedures for RNs and management can be helpful for all.

And nurses are generally honest and fair. When or if the union benefits their patients, or an individual nurse, most will join voluntarily.

Non members receive representation when they ask but cannot vote for their leaders.

Did you know that all the elected officers and Board of Directors of the CNA/NNOC are direct care RNs. Most are hospital nurses but some are advance practice nurses.

My former local leader was and is an NP.

She served well and then decided to spend her off time in other endeavors.

[nicurn001]

if unions are so great, why all of the decertifications that are indicated in the forums? i believe americans always expect instant gratification , eg. i voted for something yesterday , how come all i voted for hasn't occurred yet?!! in the case of a sucessful vote for a union , the next major step is negotiating the first contract , employers do all they can to delay this process , in the mean time nurses feel no benefit of having a union , if the delay goes on long enough , the nurses seeing no gains tend to think to the heck with ths we might as well get rid of this union .also some seem to view the union as a knight in shining armor , riding in to save them ,what they forget is , they are the union ,so if they put nothing into it ( time and effort to attend meetings , talk to other nurses etc.nb. dues are not taken until after the first contract has been agreed and put in place )they will get nothing out of it .i truly believe that there is no way for these entities to exist in a right to work state. the union would never be guaranteed to get their dues, which i'm sure are a necessity, and knowing how the population at large is, there would be many, many free riders. it would be hard for me to try to support something that might not survive the test of time.( the union is aware of the risks of going into a right to work state , if they are willing to take this risk , i think it says a lot about them ( ie. being willing to take on what you view as a hopeless cause ), if they are willing to try to help me and my fellow nurses , what have i got to lose ? i'd give it a try , get involved ( to try to get it to go where i would like ).if it doesnt suceed , at least it was tried , there is no garuntee anything in life will sudeed ,nut that shouldn't stop us from trying things ?. thoughts???

hope that is helpful to you

[Nancy2]

This Hospital had a decertification election for which the votes have yet to be counted. The NLRB has recently decided that part of the "Election Process Agreement" was illegal. Once that has been rectified, we will see if the Nurses at this hospital shoose to remain union after "trying it on"

[forrester]

This Hospital had a decertification election for which the votes have yet to be counted. The NLRB has recently decided that part of the "Election Process Agreement" was illegal. Once that has been rectified, we will see if the Nurses at this hospital shoose to remain union after "trying it on"

I am quite sure the management team is very pleased.

Hopefully, the working nurses will see thru this and stay united.

A new union is like a young child, it needs tlc and constant attention.:redbeathe

[Nancy2]

The "working nurses" are the ones who filed the petition and want CNA/NNOC out of their hospital. Why can't you accept reality?

[nicurn001]

The reality has not been decided yet , WHEN the NLRB gives the final outcome upon the results of the election and the legitmacy of the election , THEN the reality will be known .

I believe nurses on both sides of the arguement have worked for their causes , unfortunately some , will be unhappy with the final result , but thats democracy !

[forrester]

At the very least, Nancy2 will be happy with a decertification. I have yet to understand the absolute venom that the opposition has to any kind of unionization effort on the part of nurses. This goes far beyond a nursing opposition to uinions on philosophical grounds.

It smells of AONE

[Nancy2]

What on earth is AONE???

I oppose unions in hospitals because I have lived with them, have lived through strikes, negotiations, etc. Unions can negotiate little that I dont already have with existing laws. It makes hospitals more in the business of focussing on the union and the contract than on taking care of patients.

Hospitals exist to take care of patients and the community not people who just want to milk as much as they can from an employer through a union that wants to milk as much as it can from the members

[nicurn001]

what on earth is aone???

i oppose unions in hospitals because i have lived with them, have lived through strikes, negotiations, etc. unions can negotiate little that i dont already have with existing laws. it makes hospitals more in the business of focussing on the union and the contract than on taking care of patients. hospitals are administered as a business , that provides helthcare within the legal and societal framework it exists .

hospitals exist to take care of patients and the community not people who just want to milk as much as they can from an employer through a union that wants to milk as much as it can from the members

this is viewed through the eyes , of an obviously caring nurse , unfortunately , most hospitals exist to make a profit , by caring for the sick .they milk the community ,insurers and government for as large a piece of the pie as they can . if it is alright for them to make as much profit as they can , is it not alright for nurse to profit as much as they can , for their labors , if they feel the most effective negotiations will occur with management through a duly elected union , then so be it .

nurses talk of being forced to strike , but at all stages of unionization and the lead up to the vote for a strike, the democratic process is followed , so if those opposed to the unions potential activities would simply paticipate in the process , maybe the outcome would change . now theres a novel idea , democracy

[Nancy2]

In my experience, the union makes it's own rules for how "votes" go. Be it for contract ratification or for strike authorization. I have never seen a union do a public counting of ballots like the NLRB does. They count the ballots in private behind closed doors and the outcome is always what the union wants!! "The employees overwhelming voted in favor of..." I fought the battle to try to be invovled. Unions are not a democracy! He who counts the ballots wins!