Nnoc

Nancy2 · Mar 29, 2005

Has anyone joined this National Nursing Organization yet?? They say that they have over 60,000 members.
They want to provide a National Nursing Union however at some point in the future to help nationalize standards for nurses

The NNOC is the CNA. The Executive director is not a nurse, she is a former Teamster who was hired by CNA and was instrumental in the parting of the ways with the ANA in 1995. She is a very aggressive organizer and CNA has very musch changed from a professional association to a very "blue collar" type union.

You can obtain the bylaws of how they work from the Department of Labor. dol.gov.

You can also obtain their financial disclosure from this site; called an LM-2.

They donated $10,000 dollars to the Labor Party last year and by the way that is all they allotted for nursing scholarships as well. They just spent $150,000 dollars for a one day ad bashing governor Schwartzenager, but they only gave their members $10,000 in a whole year toward education. That tells me a lot about their priorities.

Hope this helps,

Nancy2

lee1 · Mar 29, 2005

The NNOC is the CNA. The Executive director is not a nurse, she is a former Teamster who was hired by CNA and was instrumental in the parting of the ways with the ANA in 1995. She is a very aggressive organizer and CNA has very musch changed from a professional association to a very "blue collar" type union.
You can obtain the bylaws of how they work from the Department of Labor. dol.gov.
You can also obtain their financial disclosure from this site; called an LM-2.
They donated $10,000 dollars to the Labor Party last year and by the way that is all they allotted for nursing scholarships as well. They just spent $150,000 dollars for a one day ad bashing governor Schwartzenager, but they only gave their members $10,000 in a whole year toward education. That tells me a lot about their priorities.
Hope this helps,
Nancy2

Thanks for your info. Yes I think it is a waste of money and manpower to have 2 large competing Nursing unions as it certainly fragments further our ability to get needed reform, universal standards.

HOWEVER, everyone is watching California as they move toward implementing their pt/nurse ratios which are THE primary source of frustration at the bedside. Big business interests obviously do not care about safe patient care or what is involved in the human, moral, ethical care of patients. They only seem to care about the profits they can generate.

Why is it that the simple formula of better ratios which leads to better mortality rates, less complications, better satisfaction for both patients and nurses is soooo overlooked.

RN4MERCY · Mar 30, 2005

I am a member of the NNOC. I believe the saying that great minds discuss ideas. Some of our brothers and sisters in nursing are victims of the "Stockholm Syndrome" and they identify too closely with their captors...healthcare trade industry corporate executives. Decades of low pay and disrespect for nurses are the legacy of the ANA which has promoted the agenda of nursing management at the expense of bedside RNs according to CNA President Deborah Burger.

The California Nurses Association, indeed all nurses and their patients are blessed by the visionary leadership of Executive Director Rose Ann DeMoro and an all RN Board of Directors who have been successful in leading California Nurses and their state's legislature in adopting the first minimum nurse to patient ratio laws in the country. Through NNOC RNs can learn to build their own RN-run local organizations and stronger unions while participating in a growing national network that can benefit from the experience of CNA. We have elected to spend our dues to help other RNs organize and we are doing our best despite aggressive union busting and corporate smear tactics, such as seeking to discredit the good work of an outstanding organization--right here on this message thread!

Direct care RNs are uniquely qualified to defend professional standards of care and professional practice which are increasingly under attack by an aggressive corporate agenda. RNs across the country have been the first to recognize the consequences of managed care and it's false promise of lower cost and increased access to providers.

What's with the snobbery and derisive and devisive use of the term blue collar workers anyway? They are our families, our neighbors and our patients. If you enjoy your cars and boats and planes and trains and buildings thank the Steelworkers and the Mineworkers. Let's not forget the Oil Atomic and Chemical Workers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; the Carpenters, the Bricklayers, the Garment Workers and the Sanitation Workers; Thank God for the Longshoremen and the Teamsters who get it from there to here, i.e. pharmaceuticals and durable medical supplies and equipment, food and building supplies.

We are working locally and nationally to advance our agenda of single payer, single standard healthcare for all citizens.

Read more: http://www.revolutionmag.com

Subscribe at 1-800-660-0906 and Join RNs in making a difference.

Join us online: http://www.nnoc.net

BadBird, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2005

Never heard of them.

suebird3 · Mar 30, 2005

When I was an LPN, "had" to join the Union at my one facility. Worked w/o a contract.....no-one had a raise in 5 years at least. The Union? Teamsters. Just to be curious....What do they know about nursing? I am not an electrician, plumber, etc.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I always thought that, now that I have a degree, I am considered "white collar".

RN4MERCY · Mar 30, 2005

"Blue collar: of, relating to, or constituting the wage-earning class; White collar: of, relating to, or being the group of salaried workers whose duties do not call for the wearing of work clothes or protective clothing;" (From my daughter's Webster's High School Dictionary...chosen for brevity), but, you decide; does it matter, really? The point being, one of the previous posters tries to imply that being a teamster member or a former member is somehow something to be ashamed of; I see advantages in belonging to an all RN union, but I welcome the opportunity to work with all unions and their members when it comes to organizing around fixing healthcare; we are all in this together and we all need to work together to build a social reform movement. Our government should serve and protect the people. Our job security, retirement security, and health benefits are under attack because of corporate welfare politics. I subscribe to the notion of individual responsibility. Were you active in trying to make your former union better? (I know that there are some unions/locals who don't do a good job of representing their members and shame on them!) A lot of legislators don't know much about nurses; we must educate them. We posess substantial scientific knowledge and technical skills; we save people from the complications of their disease and it's treatment among other things. RNs can't afford for their critical role to to be blurred by the caregiver/angel feathers descriptions. Hospital care is nursing care. Check out the new book by Suzanne Gordon, "Nursing Against The Odds".

Nancy2 · Mar 30, 2005

It was not meant to be "snobby". I chose to go to college and become a professional for many reasons, none of which involved being in a union or associated with teamsters. If I had wanted to be represented by teamsters, all I had to do was go to truck driving school. As for the "steelworkers", the unions made it so difficult for the companies to turn a profit that the whole industry has practically been outsourced overseas. Healthcare cannot be outsourced and that is a pretty big draw for unions who have lost sooooo much $ due to decreasing membership. I am not fooled by their retoric. I have been a professional and a patient advocate for 20 years and would never give power of attorney to a union to speak on my behalf with my employer. If unions get into hospitals and do what they did to the steel industry, the government will have to take over hospitals and that would truly be sad!!!!Not to mention scary!

pickledpepperRN · Mar 31, 2005

"Labor - noun - Persistant exertion of body or mind; work, and usually done for an employer for wages" the Living Webster encyclopedic dictionary of the English Language

I have labored approximately seventy thousand hours as a licensed nurse providing direct patient care. Believe me my feet let me know I have labored when I stagger to my car in the morning after a busy night shift.

My soul feels satisfied that I was able to provide safe, effective, therapeutic nursing care to my patients.

My mind feels proud of nursing work. Proud of those who went before. Proud of being one of thousands of nurses and others, union and not who gave our ideas - our heart - our days off to the struggle to make safe staffing a reality.

We have safe staffing at my hospital!

Now we have a governor who proposed to eliminate the public oversight of the Board of Registered Nursing.

Who declares a state of emergency with NO evidence!

What is the emergency? Hospitals must staff their emergency departments and keep a record of which nurse was assigned to each patient. Medical surgical units will be required to assign no more than five patients per nurse. How is this an emergency?

What to do? Well. we need to do all we can to counter the misleading rhetoric of the governor. Yes I think blaming the working nurses for the industry created shortage of nurses willing to work in hospitals for the same industry choosong to close emergency departments is just plain untruthful.

We need to work with nurses to strive for a single standard of healthcare for all. Not just California. All people and their families deserve the same quality care as the governor.

I asked a CNA board member for my region about NNOC. She said, "NNOC is so new we don't know what form it will take. It will likely be different in different locales. It will be what the members decide to make it. We don't want a large number yet. We want quality committed RNs willing to contribute their thoughts, ideas, and energy."

"In some states NNOC will probably work for a state ratio law. In others they will have to slowly build support through education. I a couple states NNOC members are already members of a union they feel is serving them well so they will work within their union for the idea of a single standard of care. Some NNOC members think their state is not ready for a union. It may take years. They still need safe staffing so that is the struggle. The members are taking the lead."

I some areas there are so few interested they don't yet know how to proceed."

"And in Chicago I (my BOD member) think the RNs are going to have the first NNOC bargaining unit when they win their election soon."

I personally wish for all nurses colleages such as those I am fortunate to work with. Many of us attended each others wedding, baby showers, kids birthdays, parents funerals, retirement parties, and now grandchildren play together as their parents, once did. These friends include nurses and other members of the hospital labor force. A housekeeper who was hired the same day in the 1970s I was also attends the same church. She has her union, I am blessed to belong to and contribute to my RN union and 102 year old professional association.

http://www.nnoc.net/PDF/1004_NNOC_Brochure_forWeb.pdf

http://www.nnoc.net/patient_protection.html

Indy, LPN, LVN · Apr 21, 2005

I have a question. Who can tell me why the CNA seceded (sp?) from the ANA, and how this developed?

lindarn · Apr 22, 2005

It was not meant to be "snobby". I chose to go to college and become a professional for many reasons, none of which involved being in a union or associated with teamsters. If I had wanted to be represented by teamsters, all I had to do was go to truck driving school. As for the "steelworkers", the unions made it so difficult for the companies to turn a profit that the whole industry has practically been outsourced overseas. Healthcare cannot be outsourced and that is a pretty big draw for unions who have lost sooooo much $ due to decreasing membership. I am not fooled by their retoric. I have been a professional and a patient advocate for 20 years and would never give power of attorney to a union to speak on my behalf with my employer. If unions get into hospitals and do what they did to the steel industry, the government will have to take over hospitals and that would truly be sad!!!!Not to mention scary!

So, you went to college because you didn't want to be considered lowlife blue collar worker? Do you have your BSN. or are you an ADN or Diploma grad? I have news for you, the rest of the medical professional world went to a Masters as entry into practice, and now are going to a DOCTORATE AS ENTRY INTO PRACTICE. The public may think that nurses are wonderful, but ask them if we should make $70- 87, 000 year, like they do. Nurses ARE blue collar trailer trash compared to the rest of the health care professionals. Like it not. Every time I hear people say, " where did you get your nurses' 'TRAINING', I could cringe. Dogs and monkeys are trained, nurses are educated. But that is the publics perception of us. Since that is what they think of us, we might as well use labor tactics that work, just like the rest of the blue collar world does.

New grads are leaving the profession in droves over working conditions, respect, pay, and benefits. There is no incentive to remain in a hospital as a bedside nurse. What, exactly do you plan on doing to encourage new nurses to stay at bedside nursing? I am all ears. At least the CNA and California nurses are putting their money where their mouth is and effecting change in a big way. Who cares what anyone thinks? I would rather have staffing ratios, higher pay, and better benefits, other workplace improvements, that have ALL BEEN OBTAINED BY CNA, than continue the way we have!!

The Nancy Nurses of the nursing profession have prevented nurses from aligning with the labor organizers who know how to negotiate with hospital big wigs to get better contracts for nurses. The negotiation team that we had in Spokane with the Washington State Nurses Association were worse than awful. They were weak, wishy, washy, and easily pushed around and intimidated by the male hospital negotiaters. We got nothing, and continue to get nothing year after year. I left 4 years ago and will never go back.

The younger nurses leave after 5- 6 years, nationwide, in disgust and disallusionment. How do you plan to improve the working conditions and pay to encourage the young nurses to stay in the profession? How do plan to encourge experienced nurses to not seek easier employment in out- patient surgery centers, doctors offices, etc? Or going back for Masters Degree, ARNP, and CRNA degrees to obtain better pay and working conditions that are in their control. Do you plan on accomplishing all of this by yourself? You must have delusions of grandeur.

If nurses are not paid well enough to be rewarded for the hard work they do in a hospital, they will seek out easier employment outside of the hospital, and the cycle will continue to fuel the exodus out of the hospital, and continue the practice of hospitals crying wolf about the "nursing shortage".

Hospitals will seek out foreign nurses to fill the staffing voids, and continue to drive down wages and working conditions, and our profession will continue to be de- skilled and dumbed down with lesser educated individuals amd will continue to encourage young nurses to leave for greener pastures. Has it occurred to anyone, that maybe that is exactly what the hospitals have in mind? Just some food for thought.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

explorer · Apr 22, 2005

Has anyone joined this National Nursing Organization yet?? They say that they have over 60,000 members.
They want to provide a National Nursing Union however at some point in the future to help nationalize standards for nurses

Do they have a web site?

:balloons:

VILLA · Apr 22, 2005

So, you went to college because you didn't want to be considered lowlife blue collar worker? Do you have your BSN. or are you an ADN or Diploma grad? I have news for you, the rest of the medical professional world went to a Masters as entry into practice, and now are going to a DOCTORATE AS ENTRY INTO PRACTICE. The public may think that nurses are wonderful, but ask them if we should make $70- 87, 000 year, like they do. Nurses ARE blue collar trailer trash compared to the rest of the health care professionals. Like it not. Every time I hear people say, " where did you get your nurses' 'TRAINING', I could cringe. Dogs and monkeys are trained, nurses are educated. But that is the publics perception of us. Since that is what they think of us, we might as well use labor tactics that work, just like the rest of the blue collar world does.
New grads are leaving the profession in droves over working conditions, respect, pay, and benefits. There is no incentive to remain in a hospital as a bedside nurse. What, exactly do you plan on doing to encourage new nurses to stay at bedside nursing? I am all ears. At least the CNA and California nurses are putting their money where their mouth is and effecting change in a big way. Who cares what anyone thinks? I would rather have staffing ratios, higher pay, and better benefits, other workplace improvements, that have ALL BEEN OBTAINED BY CNA, than continue the way we have!!
The Nancy Nurses of the nursing profession have prevented nurses from aligning with the labor organizers who know how to negotiate with hospital big wigs to get better contracts for nurses. The negotiation team that we had in Spokane with the Washington State Nurses Association were worse than awful. They were weak, wishy, washy, and easily pushed around and intimidated by the male hospital negotiaters. We got nothing, and continue to get nothing year after year. I left 4 years ago and will never go back.
The younger nurses leave after 5- 6 years, nationwide, in disgust and disallusionment. How do you plan to improve the working conditions and pay to encourage the young nurses to stay in the profession? How do plan to encourge experienced nurses to not seek easier employment in out- patient surgery centers, doctors offices, etc? Or going back for Masters Degree, ARNP, and CRNA degrees to obtain better pay and working conditions that are in their control. Do you plan on accomplishing all of this by yourself? You must have delusions of grandeur.
If nurses are not paid well enough to be rewarded for the hard work they do in a hospital, they will seek out easier employment outside of the hospital, and the cycle will continue to fuel the exodus out of the hospital, and continue the practice of hospitals crying wolf about the "nursing shortage".
Hospitals will seek out foreign nurses to fill the staffing voids, and continue to drive down wages and working conditions, and our profession will continue to be de- skilled and dumbed down with lesser educated individuals amd will continue to encourage young nurses to leave for greener pastures. Has it occurred to anyone, that maybe that is exactly what the hospitals have in mind? Just some food for thought.
Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, Washington

WOW! I sense a lot of frustration in your posting with whats happening to the nursing profession. I have been in Oncology for 16 years. This devision of medicine is intense but apparently not as bad as nursing. This concerns me since I am entering the nursing program in May( career change). I have heard very minimal from a positive point of view from the nursing profession, so much so that I am wondering if I am making the right decision. I love patient care and know that I make a difference to the indiiduals that I interact with daily. But it seems that the nursing profession is becoming very cut throat and may not be right for me. Nurses perform a much needed service and impact in the lives of others in a multitued of ways. It is sad to hear that they are not recognized for their dedication and hard work. Unfortunatley, understaffing, longer hours and bad working enironment makes the situation worse. You can't blame anyone for wanting better working conditions. It seems like its a catch 22 situation regardless of how you look at it. I have heard so much about nurses eating their young, a topic which had me concern. Now I read this posting and it just intensified the feeling of uncertainty I started to expirience recently. I have worked with many nurses and I am aware of the issues concerning the profession, but fighting amongst yourselfs will set you back.Gain a united front and stand together on issue so that you can make a difference. The strength and power is there; it comes with the numbers and nurses outrank many other professions in numbers.. The profession would benifit as a whole. I am new to this forum and I joined to observe and seek advice from professionals in an occupation I hope to be a part of. I am just voicing my feelings and mean no disrespect to anyone. I just want to read some positive and uplifting advice. I am petrified at this point. Thank you all for listening.