Joy In Striking???

RNangelER · Dec 7, 2003

Great articles -jt. Thanks! :kiss

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2003

obgrn, you are listed as a Professor of Nursing on your profile.

Now, I guess that we know where new grads get their skyhigh ideas about the pay and schedules for new grads.

obgrn · Dec 7, 2003

Originally posted by caroladybelle
obgrn, you are listed as a Professor of Nursing on your profile.

Now, I guess that we know where new grads get their skyhigh ideas about the pay and schedules for new grads.

Well, let me tell you- I have 25 years of inner city nursing behind me, I have walked the walk and talked the talk, and believe me, I see what my new grads are making, which by the way is a lot more than I make in academia. But- I am willing to forgo the pay, its not all about money, its about principles !

-jt · Dec 7, 2003

And why shouldnt we??? The CEO and every other executive and manager has one. (Our CEO even has his new Lexus, stock portfolio, and Manhattan-skyline-view luxury condo detailed in his contract). Every doctor in the place has a contract.

None of these professionals would even consider taking the job without one. Yet here we have nurses claiming its "unprofessional" to work with a contract. Funny, but none of these other professionals seem to share that sentiment.

The non-union RN is probably the only professional in their whole facility that accepts NOT having a contract.

And while theyre stamping their feet demanding to be seen as a "professional", they wonder why we're in the situation we're in.

Go figure.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2003

Originally posted by obgrn
Well, let me tell you- I have 25 years of inner city nursing behind me, I have walked the walk and talked the talk, and believe me, I see what my new grads are making, which by the way is a lot more than I make in academia. But- I am willing to forgo the pay, its not all about money, its about principles !

Well, then I suppose that those new grads are not well represented here in the population of this BB as I haven't seen the rushing in backing you on your pay figures for new grads?

And if it is "all about principles" then I guess you should be for No Mandated Overtime, as it is harmful to the profession?

And do you, as a Professor of Nursing, have a contract?

obgrn · Dec 7, 2003

Originally posted by RNangelER
Sorry but I am still on the new grad making $78,000/year

As you know, Tenet at MCP does not offer a $20,000 sign on bonus and never has. I have never seen a bonus that large in the years that I have been here. The largest I seen was $3,000. The original statement you made was new grads here in Philly make $78,000/year.

Please refer to your old contract.
*After one year, Tenet was to put an end to Mandation. They did not.
*Double time was entered into the contract (by the union) in attempts to curb Tenet from abusing involuntary mandation. (No longer in contract)
*Bonus time was entered into the contract (by the union) for the nurse that wished to sign up and be voluntarily mandated for holes in the schedule. (No longer in contract)

Even with these financial benefits that a nurse would receive, many still refused. As it should be their right to refuse. As you know, Mandation still ran ramped at MCP and many faced disciplinary actions including 3 day suspensions. If and when this contract is ratified, what is mandation going to be like at MCP if it is not removed? Especially, now that they do not have a financial burden? There are 60-75 open RN positions. Probably more now that many nurses have talked about resigning. Like myself and many others have said before, Tenet needs to invest in recruitment and retention vs. using mandation as a means of staffing. I presume it is cheaper for the "FOR Profit" giants to pay mandated nurses time and a half than hire more nurses and pay for more employee benefits. On Tenets own employee website, they state the facts. For the Eastern Division of Hospitals, in the third quarter, MCP was ranked 58 out of 59 for RN Vacancy Rate. Here is the link. Click on it, enter your employee ID and pass code and see for yourself.

https://secure.etenet.com/PublicSite/default.asp?URL=/dashboard/

If not please feel free to look at the print out in the RV across from the picket line as they are posted on the board.

But, to get back to the new grad earning $78,000/year. . . The last page of your old contract contains the hourly wage according to the amount of years one has been a nurse.

Okay, a couple things
Yes, they have indeed paid 20,000 $ sign on bonuses, whether you are aware of it or not.
Secondly, the weekend folks who come in during the week, receive the famous bonus time! on top of their 39+ per hour. Thats where the money adds up. If they do 2 extra 8 hour shifts weekly, that over 1,000 right there.

Lastly,I am certainly not out to respect the nurses you work with, I am quite certain they work very hard, they are good people and that they truly believe in their cause, as they should. But clearly their is some misdirected anger and divisiveness here, and thats a problem. And more importantly, the point I have been trying to make from the beginning is that yes, your fight for better patient ratios, better working conditions is a wholly good one, but I ask you, where were you all 6 months ago, where will you be 6 months from now, hopefully after a peaceful resolution of your contract. Will you still be as fired up and politically active as you are today? I am hope you are!

obgrn · Dec 7, 2003

Originally posted by obgrn
Originally posted by RNangelER
Sorry but I am still on the new grad making $78,000/year

As you know, Tenet at MCP does not offer a $20,000 sign on bonus and never has. I have never seen a bonus that large in the years that I have been here. The largest I seen was $3,000. The original statement you made was new grads here in Philly make $78,000/year.

Please refer to your old contract.
*After one year, Tenet was to put an end to Mandation. They did not.
*Double time was entered into the contract (by the union) in attempts to curb Tenet from abusing involuntary mandation. (No longer in contract)
*Bonus time was entered into the contract (by the union) for the nurse that wished to sign up and be voluntarily mandated for holes in the schedule. (No longer in contract)

Even with these financial benefits that a nurse would receive, many still refused. As it should be their right to refuse. As you know, Mandation still ran ramped at MCP and many faced disciplinary actions including 3 day suspensions. If and when this contract is ratified, what is mandation going to be like at MCP if it is not removed? Especially, now that they do not have a financial burden? There are 60-75 open RN positions. Probably more now that many nurses have talked about resigning. Like myself and many others have said before, Tenet needs to invest in recruitment and retention vs. using mandation as a means of staffing. I presume it is cheaper for the "FOR Profit" giants to pay mandated nurses time and a half than hire more nurses and pay for more employee benefits. On Tenets own employee website, they state the facts. For the Eastern Division of Hospitals, in the third quarter, MCP was ranked 58 out of 59 for RN Vacancy Rate. Here is the link. Click on it, enter your employee ID and pass code and see for yourself.

https://secure.etenet.com/PublicSite/default.asp?URL=/dashboard/

If not please feel free to look at the print out in the RV across from the picket line as they are posted on the board.

But, to get back to the new grad earning $78,000/year. . . The last page of your old contract contains the hourly wage according to the amount of years one has been a nurse.

Okay, a couple things
Yes, they have indeed paid 20,000 $ sign on bonuses, whether you are aware of it or not.
Secondly, the weekend folks who come in during the week, receive the famous bonus time! on top of their 39+ per hour. Thats where the money adds up. If they do 2 extra 8 hour shifts weekly, that over 1,000 right there.

Lastly,I am certainly not out to respect the nurses you work with, I am quite certain they work very hard, they are good people and that they truly believe in their cause, as they should. But clearly their is some misdirected anger and divisiveness here, and thats a problem. And more importantly, the point I have been trying to make from the beginning is that yes, your fight for better patient ratios, better working conditions is a wholly good one, but I ask you, where were you all 6 months ago, where will you be 6 months from now, hopefully after a peaceful resolution of your contract. Will you still be as fired up and politically active as you are today? I am hope you are!

I meant , not to DIS-respect

obgrn · Dec 7, 2003

Originally posted by caroladybelle
Well, then I suppose that those new grads are not well represented here in the population of this BB as I haven't seen the rushing in backing you on your pay figures for new grads?

And if it is "all about principles" then I guess you should be for No Mandated Overtime, as it is harmful to the profession?

And do you, as a Professor of Nursing, have a contract?

Interestingly enough, the only area hospital that has mandation is a union hospital! My experience as a nurse has been a much different one. We did not need to be mandated, and no I don't believe nurses should be mandated. But for some reason we all operated under a different way of thinking. If our relief didn't show up, out of compassion for one another one of us would stay especially if the other nurse was one with small children, or had a family situation that nessitated getting home immediately. We did not abandon our patients. We received "straight pay" for this. Do I think it is good for the profession -absolutely not, but what are the options? The honest truth is this, they could offer you triple time and it wouldn't make a difference, exhaustion is exhaustion!

BTW- no I do not have a contract as a professor.

obgrn · Dec 7, 2003

Angel,

How do you think this problem can be fixed. Especially the nursing vacancies. It's not an money issue per say. What would make the difference, what would make a nurse come to your hospital and stay?

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2003

God, who wants to live in Pa anyway too damn cold in the winter. Move your Hospital to florida where its warmer. Sounds good to me.

Or to texas or Mississipi or louisiana anywhere warmer. If you cant golf year round , why live there.

fab4fan · Dec 7, 2003

Better PA than "Bush Country." :rolleyes:

Scis · Dec 7, 2003

jt-

I wholeheartedly agree with your postings. If more nurses would educate themselves on the history of nursing they would realize that Florence Nightingale, one of the first and foremost, went to all kinds of measures to get what she wanted to achieve for her patients on the battlefields! That is what frustrates me most about the majority of nurses in our profession---they want to complain and moan over what is, realizing we are not getting the professional respect we deserve, but ask them to put their moans and groans into action, and you get silence and inaction from them! C'mon guys, it's clear some change is needed, and it is not going to happen without major action. Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare profession! When enough of us get together ,we can't help but get attention! Without enough of us, the nurses advocating the change look like a bunch of disgruntled rebels! Maybe it's the term "union" that some nurses object to, since it does have a blue-collar connotation. I prefer to call it a move toward professional organizations of nurses. "Strike" as a job action. Whatever makes you comfortable, but something must be done, and now is as good a time as any!