NNOC/NNU

I am a member of CNA/NNU.

For many years I've chosen to have a small amount added to my union dues for government relations. Many nurses choose to pay $5.00 or $10.00 a month for political activities. Often it is the same nurses who meet with legislators and/or their staff, rally for or against a candidate or law in the interest of patient or social advocacy.

There is a law that states Union members can opt out of having dues money spent for political contributions. Tell your labor representative or the membership department if you want to opt out. Call the office and ask to be connected to "Membership"

National Nurses Organizing Committee

2000 Franklin Street

Oakland CA 94612

T. 510-273-2200

F. 510-433-2790

Here is a blog by a nurse with her thoughts on a ballot initiative regarding this:

Payroll deception with a new face… | National Nurses United

Listen to Bonnie Castillo RN Director of the Government relations Department and the Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN), a project of National Nurses United (NNU) and Global Nurses United (GNU).

NURSE TALK RADIO: RN Bonnie Castillo | National Nurses United

I have always felt that, if someone does not want to contribute to the organization who is responsible for getting them higher pay, better benefits, job protection, they should just opt out of receiving the benefits that unions provide.

You are free to refuse the raises that the union gets for you, better benefits, they bargain for you, and you are free to get yourself fired in an unfair labor dispute, have your licensed revoked, etc.

The organizations that you choose to give your money to, will not provide you with any of these benefits. If you do not want to pay for the organization to protect you in any way, then you should not benefit from it as dues paying members do.

JMHO and my NY $0.02

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN (ret)

Somewhere in the PACNW

That used to tick me off too, esp. when I was a union officer. Do you know who the biggest whiners were? The ones who opted out, benefitted from OUR hard work, then came to our union meeting to complain about one thing or another.

A nurse at my hospital opted out. She said, "Why pay if I don't have to?"

Once she was very upset that she had just noticed that her pay increases had not been paid for several years.

Helped her go to the union representative. Fortunately she had her pay stubs. After a long process of the hospital denying they made a mistake she was given a check of more than 12 thousand dollars in back pay.

She joined then and continues to be a member.

Are you saying that the nursing union sent delegates or members to the UN Climate talks in Peru last year?

Scenes from Climate Change Summit in Peru

Lara Norkus-Crampton, RN, 12/11/14

Nurses landed in Lima, Peru this week at the start of the United Nations Climate Change Summit - #COP20. We're here to emphasize the health impact of our climate crisis and to let people know we want to be part of the solution. We're joining thousands of other activists and meeting allies who are gathering for forums, discussions and protests during this historic environmental justice moment....

... As nurses, we know it is important to listen to people's stories and concerns. It is also important to use the analytical tools of our practice, the Nursing Process, to seek and advance evidence based best practices that protect the public health and sustain communities and our planet as a whole....

... For instance, the World Health Organization recently declared that air pollution and particulate pollution are carcinogens and need to be managed much more aggressively. We also know that dirty emissions containing carbon are contributing to the global climate crisis we are facing today and need to be addressed immediately.

I believe that we also need to apply the advocacy skills that we use in our profession to promote the health and safety of all people BEFORE they require hospitalization from exposure to toxic air, water and disease.

We had the privilege of meeting the President of the Peruvian Federation of Nurses, Zoila Cotrina Diaz.

She discussed the problems with Peru's underfunded public health care system...

... Diaz said that Nurses need to reclaim their humanity in caring for people. Nurses need to be much more than functionaries doing our tasks. Some might call that caring for the whole patient with genuine empathy.

But she also said that we need to carry this attitude of caring into the community.

This means caring for people where they are and also helping them to address the causes of preventable disease and death.

This includes sources of local pollution and polluters that contribute to climate changes that can impact health and food security for vulnerable communities...

Scenes from Climate Change Summit in Peru | National Nurses United

More links regarding RNs attending the summit:

More from the People's Climate Summit in Peru | National Nurses United

If the energy source requires a smoke stack, then it isn't clean.” | National Nurses United

Nurses: Climate Crisis is a Public Health Crisis | National Nurses United

We must fight for clean energy the same way we fight for healthcare for all | National Nurses United