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.

[RN4MERCY]

You can pour me a double shot of that Texas attitude any time. Those RNs really exemplify the Margaret Mead quote, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has "

During the CNA/NNOC House of Delegates last September many of us had the privilege and good fortune to sit at the table with some of the RN leaders from Texas. There will be a line for those seats when next we meet. Their ability to organize their peers in a show of solidarity and demonstrate collective advocacy on behalf of their patients and the profession of nursing is the stuff legends are made of...the world of nursing is forever changed in Texas.

We shared some memories about our first NNOC rally for the Texas Patient Protection Act at the Capitol in Austin:up:

http://www.calnurse.org/media-center/press-releases/2006/november/page.jsp?itemID=28820806:up:

[herring_RN, ASN, BSN]

Look at these happy Texas nurses!

http://www.calnurse.org/

[wheneveryoucallme]

yes, David it is a FANTASTIC win for the Houston Cypress Fairbanks RN's that took place last Friday the 29th of March. Being involved in the last few days of the campaigning, I was holding my breath on Friday night waiting for the "yes" results along with so many other Texas RN"s. Currently, I am employed in central Texas at St. David's located in Austin. It's an HCA facility with about 300 beds. Let me tell you that we have been floating on a victory cloud all weekend and even today. I don't know when this feeling of....HOPE/VALIDATION/POWER/RELIEF/EXCITEMENT/etc...

will end. my colleagues and I are going to ride it as long as we can. You may ask why am I so excited about this news if it's not even my company/hospital that won the vote to unionize with the NNOC? While I had the opportunity to campaign In Houston last monday and Tuesday....several of the CYFAIR RN's asked me that same question. My response was and is... we are all Texas RN's with many of the same issues practicing legally under the same Texas Nursing Practice ACT. Now, I am sure all of you CAli RN's get how it works, but to many Texas RN's... this is a new concept. An injury to one is an injury to ALL. Not sure who said it originally, but I like it. I know for a fact that Right NOW our DON'S (Director of Nurses) are in a serious meeting with our CNO (chief Nursing Officer) that has lasted most of the morning...MMM Wonder what they are talking about? Could it be the victory in HOuston? Our newly positioned CEO is from Houston. I am sure he rec'd the bad news Friday night .The article in the Houston Chronicle stated "this election was being closely watched by all the medical community." So, our management will be working overtime to squash our efforts. Our advantage is that we have a 2.5 year head start on them. We know that this win in Houston means that RN's all over Texas Can and WILL have the courage to fight back and WIN. It has already been done. Our deepest gratitude and thanks to the CYFAIR RN's/CNA/NNOC and the

Tennet RN's for your forethought and vision. I wish I could give the same to our TNA (Texas Nurses Association) However, they have done NOTHING with a capital N to help bed-side caregivers carry out adequate and safe care for our patients. The TNA campaingned against our ratio/whistleblower protection Bill....which that protection, as we all know, leads to the RETENTION of RN"s in our hospitals. We are in for the fight of our lives here in Texas, but the rewards are worth it. Look forward to talking some more with you.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

Sad day for Texas nurses. Who are you kidding? Unions don't do anything well except collect dues.

[mdfog10]

:up:MY CNA/NNOC dues have provided me with: NURSE to Patient ratios, continued pension protection, smaller cost shifting of my health care costs , increased staffing protections, increase in my education hours, no manditory shift rotation, 7.5% increase in wages for 1 year .......My Union of Registered Nurses uses our money to fight to ensure that our voice of patient advocacy is heard loud and clear.

[rosiecarn]

Well, classicdame, I think you might have forgotten your history. It is the unions of this country that have given us the 8 hour day, weekends, and holidays, to name just a few.

And to add to mdfog10's list (thank you mdfog10) of what she/he has gained with her CNA/NNOC contract and union dues, I'd like to add what I've gained with mine: a Professional Practice Committee made up of all staff RNs in which we discuss patient care issues, to which we invite the CNO as needed, and to which she must respond; relief RN staff for meal and rest breaks, ban on mandatory OT (natural disaster typed of situations are the only exemptions from this), protection against unsafe floating (you have to be competent, you only float to another unit in your "pod," all other floating is voluntary and comes with a bonus, travelers float first), not to mention working statewide and countrywide for real universal healthcare for all of us--everybody in, nobody out. The ultimate in patient advocacy. I can't think of a better way to spend my dues.

[RN4MERCY]

Sad day for Texas nurses. Who are you kidding? Unions don't do anything well except collect dues.

Nurses all across the country, and especially those at CyFair Texas are joyfully celebrating a hard fought, well deserved victory.

Historically, what we're experiencing is a "back to the future" time of liberation for women, nurses, and patients from the oppressive, abusive, and destructive restructuring of health care from a social service to a market-based commodity.

The Texas/NNOC nurses have long recognized that one of the principal barriers to patient advocacy is that corporations put profits ahead of safe patient care. Hospitals cut nurses, or try to eliminate them with expensive technologies, or discharge medically fragile patients who need professional nursing care to fend for themselves when the length of stay threatens profit margins.

The physical work is exhausting and demanding; intellectual, artistic, experienced, professional nursing labor is being devalued. Working conditions such as mandatory overtime causes preventable errors and patients suffer as a result. We have a duty to change those conditions that are barriers to our abillity to advocate in the exclusive interests of our patients and our profession!

Nurse Lavinia Dock and others spoke out and demonstrated for women's rights. Dock was also a militant suffragist and actively worked to bring nurses into the trade union movement, and she fought for the abolition of the double standard of morality. They did not have the right to vote, but they were organizing for change.

Through our union, we have a say, a vote, (if you will), in our working conditions. We're organizing for change to make hospitals, and ultimately health care, safer for patients. To that end, we are organizing and advocating for a fair and equitable system of healthcare, single-payer, guaranteed healthcare for all. A system that ensures that patients will be provided with the medical and nursing care they need when they are sick or injured.

We will collectively continue to fight for equality and better wages, hours, ratios, and working conditions, so that we can insure that there will be enough nurses to safely, effectively, and therapeutically care for patients. That's a life we can all be proud to hang our hats on:nurse:

[kat nurse advocate]

Just so all of the Texas RNs know, I am most happy to share my California NNOC/CNA dues with the Texas RNs. An injury to one is truly an injury to all, nurses and patients alike. All RNs across the country need to get on board this train, for it is going all the way, to protect patients and nursing practice. Bedside, direct care RNs, on the move to improve the health of the nation. Let's rock'n'roll....:roll

Congratulations! I met and marched with many of you last March and stood beside you on the steps of the statehouse in Austin as you presented your ratio bill. I am proud of all of the work you are doing in Texas and now you have made history! Hopefully, your spirit will spread all across the US!

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

Very proud of and happy for the CyFair RNs!

Here's hoping the fruits of the victory spread far and wide!

[wheneveryoucallme]

Sad day for Texas nurses. Who are you kidding? Unions don't do anything well except collect dues.

I will happily throw in my 2 % a month...which equals two hours of pay per month for a voice to make change and a balance of power to protect my license, my patients and my colleagues. The dues we pay go right back into maintaining our organization. It's the Right thing to do!

[wheneveryoucallme]

Texas girls do like to throw down. Especially in the spirit of protecting our patients, our license, and each other. Actually, I have not had many good reasons to throw down lately...Let's celebrate Ya'll.. yeee ha! Ride em cowgirl. Put on your boots ma and let's go barrel racing! Do ya'll remember that time I chased that armidillo into that cactus burrow? Ya'll was pulling cactus needles out of my fingers all night. Good thing I was surrounded by nurses. Hey maybe the Cali nurses will want to go on one of our armidillo chasing camping trips? What do you think ladies? Yes I am serious.

[Ludlow]

Texas girls do like to throw down. Especially in the spirit of protecting our patients, our license, and each other. Actually, I have not had many good reasons to throw down lately...Let's celebrate Ya'll.. yeee ha! Ride em cowgirl. Put on your boots ma and let's go barrel racing! Do ya'll remember that time I chased that armidillo into that cactus burrow? Ya'll was pulling cactus needles out of my fingers all night. Good thing I was surrounded by nurses. Hey maybe the Cali nurses will want to go on one of our armidillo chasing camping trips? What do you think ladies? Yes I am serious.

How fast do Armidillo run? And what do you do when you throw down? Wooeee, I can tell that it will be great to have a whole state full of Texas nurses in the NNOC! Health care and patient care will never be the same. Isn't it exciting to be in this historic movement to make things better for our patients?