National Labor Relations Board rules some nurses are supervisors

If this is what I think it is, then this is a bigger concern than the average contract disagreement.

"Hi! We don't like the way things are running so we are going to change the definitions to meet our needs, i.e., calling you all supervisors. But you aren't really supervisors, so you won't get paid more, but we will call you that so you can no longer unionize. Have a nice day."

Molotov, anyone?

Pending Labor Board Decisions Could Imperil RN Protections, Standards, Patient Advocacy Role

http://www.calnurses.org/rn-alerts/?print=t

STOP THE NLRB: Send a letter today!

Federal Ruling to Eliminate RN Rights Imminent

Ability to Advocate for Patients at Risk

http://ga1.org/campaign/stopnlrb

Registered nurses and other working people from California to Maine held a march and rally in Chicago on Tuesday, August 8 to protest an imminent threat to nurses' democratic rights to union representation and their ability to safely advocate for their patients.

http://www.calnurses.org/photo-albums/nlrb-chicago-action-080806/?print=t

If this is what I think it is, then this is a bigger concern than the average contract disagreement.

"Hi! We don't like the way things are running so we are going to change the definitions to meet our needs, i.e., calling you all supervisors. But you aren't really supervisors, so you won't get paid more, but we will call you that so you can no longer unionize. Have a nice day."

Molotov, anyone?

What this means is that Registered Nurses are one step closer to being legally recognized as the professionals we are. Nurses do supervise, direct and make managerial decisions every day. Not just Charge Nurses either, any of us who works with an LVN, nurses aid or patient care tech supervise and direct the care they give to our patients. The feedback we provide is directly used in their reviews.

What about those of us who precept? New grads or experienced Nurses, we are part of the process in deciding if they keep their job, need further orientation or if they must be let go.

This is not a threat to Nursing professionals, this is only a threat to the unions bottom line. As for getting paid to be the professionals we really are, maybe if more of us accepted more responsiblity for ourselves, our actions and our profession we would get paid more. So many want to play the blame game. We complain and moan but unless the "union" says it's right we do not serve on committees, we do not volunteer at health fairs or other nursing/hospital community service. You let the union choose the politicians you vote for and the propositions you vote for or against. Not because it's right for you, your profession or your community but because the "union" says it's so it must be true.

Sherwood, RN, CCRN

This is not a threat to Nursing professionals, this is only a threat to the unions bottom line. As for getting paid to be the professionals we really are, maybe if more of us accepted more responsiblity for ourselves, our actions and our profession we would get paid more. So many want to play the blame game. We complain and moan but unless the "union" says it's right we do not serve on committees, we do not volunteer at health fairs or other nursing/hospital community service. You let the union choose the politicians you vote for and the propositions you vote for or against. Not because it's right for you, your profession or your community but because the "union" says it's so it must be true.

Sherwood, RN, CCRN

Sorry, I strongly disagree with you Sherwood.

I for one do not want to bargain with the large University Hospital where I work by myself. The hospital would have me for breakfast. The union fights for my pay whether I want to admit it or not. Not admitting it would be great for my administrators who I am sure would want to pay me: $7.00 an hour and some change. They would be very happy to call me a supervisor (maybe even a super supervisor). In fact they would laugh all the way to the bank.

My next job will be non union. BUT, I know that it is the union that decides what us nurses make. Its the union agreement that even decides what the supervisors earn at our institution. By this I mean that management looks at what the nurse bargaining unit has agreed upon to determine what to pay the supervisors. Most of the supervisors I have discussed this with agree.

In fact when the UNA received a huge pay increase in the early 80s that agreement made me sit up and pay notice to nursing as a potential career choice. Without that agreement I would not have become a nurse.

I am a male who did not go into nursing to primarily help people. I am not ashamed to say that I am a nurse because I make decent money. Helping people is what we as nurses do and I am pretty happy doing that. I never played nurse when I was a young one.

We can find things wrong with the union. BUT, as long as they fight for and get me my wages they will have my 100% support.

What this means is that Registered Nurses are one step closer to being legally recognized as the professionals we are. Nurses do supervise, direct and make managerial decisions every day. Not just Charge Nurses either, any of us who works with an LVN, nurses aid or patient care tech supervise and direct the care they give to our patients. The feedback we provide is directly used in their reviews.

What about those of us who precept? New grads or experienced Nurses, we are part of the process in deciding if they keep their job, need further orientation or if they must be let go.

This is not a threat to Nursing professionals, this is only a threat to the unions bottom line. As for getting paid to be the professionals we really are, maybe if more of us accepted more responsiblity for ourselves, our actions and our profession we would get paid more. So many want to play the blame game. We complain and moan but unless the "union" says it's right we do not serve on committees, we do not volunteer at health fairs or other nursing/hospital community service. You let the union choose the politicians you vote for and the propositions you vote for or against. Not because it's right for you, your profession or your community but because the "union" says it's so it must be true.

Sherwood, RN, CCRN

Sherwood,

How do you account for the fact that TEACHERS are also professionals, and have been unionized since the year of the flood. Teachers also make more money that nurses do, have far better pensions than nurses do, which by the way, also include medical and dental benefits for life. And have far better workplace protections, than nurses do. I don't recall any attempts by any school districts, to attempt to "promote" the janitors, to teach Kindergarten, or First Grade. There has been no attempt to "de-skill" the teachng profession, by replacing them with unlicensed "teaching aides, or assistants". Why is that? Because teachers have strong union, which give them workplace security, which provides them the with ability to speak out publicly to parents, and the community, without fear of losing their job.

How do you explain away these indisputable facts? Nurses are in the sad position that we are in because of the fact that, for years, and even still today, nurses have fought unionizing. Which, by the way, would have given nurses, if nothing else, the workplace protection that we so badly needed. When the hospitals came up with the lie, known as "care redesign", nurses who did not agree with the overworking and de- skilling of their profession, and made a fuss, they where rewarded with a retaliatory discharge, and blacklisted. In other words, any and all attempt to notify the public about what was happening to their health care, was quickly squelched, for fear of being fired.

Hospitals are quick to denigrate unions, which they are quick to inform nurses, makes them look "unprofessional", preying on their insecurities, and their need to validate thier self worth and self inportance. Much of which stems from their lack of a college degree as entry into practice. Which, by the way, is another thing that hospitals continue to tell nurses that they don't need, and refuse to reward those who earned a BSN. Which pushed them away from the bedside. Consider the source. While they reward others on the same health care team, who have earned higher degrees, with a higher salary, such as Pts, OTs, Pharmacists, Dieticians.

You have been hoodwinked, and brainwashed, big time. I don't know where your antiunion mentality, comes from. But in the face of the obvious, your constant "unionbusting", flies in the face of reality.

You can remain a part of nursing when, after this ruling passes, can continue to work in bedside nursing, and will probably be earning $8.00 an hour. Sadly, with no protection, for either you, or your patients. JMHO, and my $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

Nurses Charge Bush Labor Board Concealing Ruling That Would Deny Democratic and Union Rights to Millions

Monday October 2, 5:49 pm ET

Board Claims Missed Deadline - 'They Should Have Used UPS'

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee today charged that the Bush Administration's labor board is concealing a major decision that it has made to strip millions of workers of their democratic right to join unions.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061002/sfm121.html?.v=46

Press ReleaseSource: National Labor Relations Board

NLRB Issues Lead Case Addressing Supervisory Status in Response to Supreme Court's Decision in Kentucky River

Tuesday October 3, 1:00 pm ET

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061003/dctu026.html?.v=74

NLRB site - http://www.nlrb.gov/nlrb/press/releases/R-2603.htm

What this means is that Registered Nurses are one step closer to being legally recognized as the professionals we are. Nurses do supervise, direct and make managerial decisions every day. Not just Charge Nurses either, any of us who works with an LVN, nurses aid or patient care tech supervise and direct the care they give to our patients. The feedback we provide is directly used in their reviews.

What about those of us who precept? New grads or experienced Nurses, we are part of the process in deciding if they keep their job, need further orientation or if they must be let go.

This is not a threat to Nursing professionals, this is only a threat to the unions bottom line. As for getting paid to be the professionals we really are, maybe if more of us accepted more responsiblity for ourselves, our actions and our profession we would get paid more. So many want to play the blame game. We complain and moan but unless the "union" says it's right we do not serve on committees, we do not volunteer at health fairs or other nursing/hospital community service. You let the union choose the politicians you vote for and the propositions you vote for or against. Not because it's right for you, your profession or your community but because the "union" says it's so it must be true.

Sherwood, RN, CCRN

So do you honestly believe that the average nurse's pay reflects their supervisory duties?

Nurses Denounce Bush Labor Board Ruling on Union Rights As Fundamental Assault on Democracy, Patient Safety - RNs Prepared to Strike to Defend Their Rights

...The broadest and most immediate impact of the ruling is on public safety, DeMoro said. "In an era of corporate medical care, when hospital corporations make daily decisions that put patients at risk, RNs must be are able to intervene to protect patients without fear of losing their job or other retaliation.

"Union representation is the only effective security for an RN to fulfill that role. The hospital industry wants the first allegiance of the RN to be to management and the corporation's profit, rather than to the health and welfare of the patient."...

http://www.calnurses.org/media-center/press-releases/2006/september/page.jsp?itemID=28290479&print=t