Nurse Unions in Boston?

[ABCRN81]

Could someone give me some information on nurse unions in the Boston region? I am a new BSN grad moving from Indiana to the Boston area due to my husband's job, and I am not familiar with nurse unions at all. Do all nurses in the Boston area join a union? Which unions are there? What are the benefits/negatives to joining a union?

Thanks so much!

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

All but 2 hospitals are union hospitals, BI and MGH are non union hospital.

The nurses are mostly represented by the MNA. You will not have a choice to join the union or not, you either pay the union or a fee for you to

represent them.

Unions in this area have helped to raise nursing salaries, but they also

remove any chance of being an individual.

[JennRoseD]

Hi! Nurses at most of the hopsitals have a union in this area, and the unions are great. One is the Mass Nurses Association. Their website is http://www.massnurses.org you should check them out and form your opinion from there. Also there is SEIU Local 1199, who are also terrific and are organizing unions at some of the unorganized hospitals. their info is http://www.1199.org. I find having a union helps me work with my co-workers to make sure pay, benefits, and work load are reasonable. Both unions have been on the forfront of advocating for patient safety measures and health care access. You will find that other people have different philosophies on this issue. I recommend talking with folks at the unions as well as other nurses to get a feel for what the union means to Boston area nurses.