nurse strikes

[mistydave]

I have some questions on nurse strikes. Please no flaming, I am truly curious. I am in my 2nd semester of nursing school and have been interested in travel nursing, and many people say they would travel but never:nono: cross a picket line...so I have some questions.

When nurses strike what happens to the patients in the hospital at the time?

Do they just go without care?

Are they transferred to another hospital?

Why is it unwise for a travel nurse to fill in for striking nurses?

Doesn't someone have to care for the pts while the nurses are striking?

Why would it be such a bad thing to do, aren't the travel nurses just filling in til the regular nurses get the strike over. I have "some vague sort of info (ok maybe not?)" of strikes, that the strike can go longer, and takes more time to get the point across if someone else comes in and does the work. But don't travel nurses get paid a ton more so the obvious choice is the hospital just use them til the nurse strike is over....right? They would obviously want their full time nurses back...right? Please help me see the bigger picture of all this without anyone getting mad.

thankyou,

[zenman]

I thought I had made it clear that that is a lesson I learned the hard way.

If you feel okay scabbing, that's your business, but keep in mind that you are undermining the efforts of permanent staff to improve the quality of care they can deliver and their ability to act as patient advocates.

Don't be surprised that if you are willing to sell out for the big bucks (that's putting it nicely), that there are others in the profession aren't going to think as highly of you as you think of yourself.

Ya can't use a blanket statement like that. I crossed a picket line once only to find that the nurses were doing a pitiful job and the CNAs, physicians and patients were glad to see us. Some actually cried when we left. This was the last straw for me...and the fact that the striking nurses were so stupid as to get buffaloed by their union. I left the hospital never to return to another one. I just heard from a nurse friend who says nothing has changed.

I will not elaborate any further.

[aeauooo]

Ya can't use a blanket statement like that.

What have you just done? You've generalizing your experience from one hospital to other striking nurses.

I've been a staff nurse at hospitals where the nurses were represented by a union and others where they were not. I much prefer working in unionized hospitals - not because the union defends shoddy nursing (I've watched union reps tell nurses that the union can't help them when they were in the wrong), but for the reason I stated above; hospital administration and nursing management are not trustworthy.

Fortunately, I've never had to strike. Lost income is a serious sacrifice for striking nurses. No one takes that lightly - not the union, and certainly not the striking nurses. That's why crossing a picket line is so offensive.

BTW, in general, the quality of care delivered in the unionized hosptials where I've worked has been far superior to that I've seen in non-unionized hosptials.

[ZeeGeez7300, ASN, BSN]

I thought I had made it clear that that is a lesson I learned the hard way.

If you feel okay scabbing, that's your business, but keep in mind that you are undermining the efforts of permanent staff to improve the quality of care they can deliver and their ability to act as patient advocates.

Don't be surprised that if you are willing to sell out for the big bucks (that's putting it nicely), that there are others in the profession aren't going to think as highly of you as you think of yourself.

This is funny! So called professionals acting like children with name calling... It didn't bother me when I was a child, and it sure doesn't bother me now! I have yet to meet ANYONE who will WORK for free! Most people don't want to work if given the choice, but we have to to take care of our families. Don't hate me because I wish to get paid top dollar for my quality care, or that I want the ease and flexibilty of not having to deal with hospital politics and BS while being treated like a slave! If I am a sellout and this single mom can feed her child (without any of you name callers contributing a dime), can come home WITHOUT the stress of KNOWING that I'm overworked and underpaid (at a job who doesn't even appreciate me) then 'SCAB' I AM! You are lying to yourself if you say that you would rather make less money! As far as what another nurse thinks of me?... I answered that in the 2nd and 3rd sentence. Who are they that I should CARE what THEY think of me. Are they paying bills in my house? Are they GOD? Cause His is the only opinion that I care about. You keep standing outside with your sign, this "scab" will be inside keeping my son's and your patient's welfare and well-being intact.

[aeauooo]

Don't hate me because I wish to get paid top dollar for my quality care...

You're deflecting from my point. By crossing a picket line you are undermining the sacrifices being made by striking nurses.

[ZeeGeez7300, ASN, BSN]

Let me clarify... If I was crass, rude, or misleading, I apologize. I want high quality patient care and safety just as much as the next nurse. I just go along another path towards that. I have the serenity to accept the things (high patient to nurse ratios when we are in a nursing shortage) that will not be changed no matter how much we strike. The courage to change the things that I have a DIRECT effect on (MY Staff nurse unhappiness because I was overworked and underpaid), yet still fulfill my advocacy. Most of all, I have the WISDOM to know the difference between working for my profession or making my profession work for me. Furthermore, I have been browsing other forums since I joined (just to see what they are like and what's being said), and I have seen many mention the fact that union nurses EXPECT to make more money. Isn't that one part of the reason that union dues are paid?

"The average union RN makes $7,000 more a year than non-union RN's. Even if union dues are as much as $1,000 (which, in many cases union dues are a lot lower than that) ...

You still get a 600 percent rate of return on your investment with the extra $6,000 in income. Try investing $1,000 in stock market and getting $7,000 by the end of the year."

I might not be paying dues or investing in the stock market, but I DO want to have more compensation for my professional background and quality of care.

[Fiona59]

My union is currently working on our new contract. We will strike. And like last time we will be legislated back to work after 72 hours due to being "essential services", our union will be fined and then management will be a bit more forthcoming with funds.

It depends on the individual RN if they will cross the PN picket line. Some have walked the picket lines with us on their days off. Trust me on units that are 50/50 LPN/RN we are sorely missed. Management has to come out their offices and work the floor, families have to participate in care.

It's a long 72 hours but points have to be made.

[aeauooo]

Let me clarify... If I was crass, rude, or misleading...

No, I think you're failing to considering the sacrifice of lost income for the striking nurses.

I want high quality patient care and safety just as much as the next nurse.

Deflection. The quality of care you give is not the issue.

...union nurses EXPECT to make more money. Isn't that one part of the reason that union dues are paid?

That's rationalization.

[ZeeGeez7300, ASN, BSN]

Dude, don't pick pieces and parts. All these statements responded to what was being said...I said from beginning to end that I understand the union nurses view, but don't expect other nurses to do it, too. The point remains the same: Don't expect everyone in the world to share or support your views because you want to make a stand in a line. I am no longer a staff RN, I am not employed by a healthcare facility, I am not a union member, I am not in management, I am not burned out; I am a TRAVEL RN. I am contracted in, I am in places that noone wants to go, in situations noone wants to be in, to take care of patients while there is a staff nurse shortage (whether there is a strike or not)...It's not the ONLY choice, just MY CHOICE.

[aeauooo]

I am contracted in, I am in places that noone wants to go, in situations noone wants to be in... It's not the ONLY choice, just MY CHOICE.

Be happy then, but others in our profession may find your mercenary attitude offensive.

[zenman]

What have you just done? You've generalizing your experience from one hospital to other striking nurses.

.

Absolutely not! I said you can't make a blanket statement and I responded about my experiences at one hospital to make that point.

[ZeeGeez7300, ASN, BSN]

Be happy then, but others in our profession may find your mercenary attitude offensive.

First off, all was said to convey MY happiness (with my decision) and say that I used to feel the same defeat as a staff nurse; but don't ask me to sacrifice my employment, patient care, or (for those who seem to do charity work) finances WITH you...If I recall correctly, the question was about why nurses find it hard to accept another colleague for doing her job, not whether or not you approve of what I do.

[Fiona59]

Be happy then, but others in our profession may find your mercenary attitude offensive.

Funny, that's exactly how I think of strike breakers--mercenaries.

If these workers are so anti-union, they should refuse their overtime pay, refuse paid holidays, refuse paid statutory holiday pay, refuse health and dental benefits and they should refuse disability pay if they should ever become injured.

Unions got these rights for workers.