Nurses crossing picket lines??

fergus51 · Jul 7, 2004

This is a term those nurses choose to use themselves. There is even a website scabs.org or something. I don't know another name for them that doesn't have a negative connotation.

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 7, 2004

Exactly fergus. Scabs call themselves this name, as well. Many wear it like a badge, quite proudly. So I don't see it being hateful....and whether we agree or not,this is what they are known by, on both sides of the issue.

fergus51 · Jul 7, 2004

The only other term I've heard Deb is "strikebreaker". Doesn't sound any more positive to me. I don't think a negative action deserves a sugar coated name anyways, but that's just me.

movealong · Jul 7, 2004

I would not cross a picket line. Morally, for me, it's just not the right thing to do. however, I would never harm anyone that did. But my opinion of them would certainly suffer.

I worked in a closed shop. I had no problems with it. It was one of the best jobs I ever had. I felt valued and respected for my work and labor. I've worked in nonunion hospitals, clinics and other "at will" places of employment and some of them were very problematic.

I personally think unions are helpful for nurses. Nursing came from a background when women did not work for wages, or the wages were very low because women were not seen as the primary wage earner in a household. It's taking decades to change that perception.

Add in today's other concerns about staffing, patient ratios, increasing patient acuity, nurse shortages, unions are sometimes needed.

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 7, 2004

We can be euphemistic as all get-out. Call it what you want. Still, some people will disagree with the premise of their (strikerbreakers') actions. And all day long,the strikebreakers can justify what they do by saying they are helping the "poor patients, the people dependent on cabs whose drivers go on strike, students of striking teachers", etc by subbing for striking workers...the money has "nothing" to do with it right????? I think we know why they are out to help and it's not the public they say they are serving....

....and at the end of the day, it undermines the group as whole. That would be the group fighting for better conditions (not just pay) for the many, not just themselves.

But I also say, it's their right to do what they do, however I feel about it. Legally. And I would never do bodily harm or commit any crime against such people. That would make me lower than I could ever think of any of them. Not to mention a criminal.

zenman · Jul 7, 2004

Posted by husker-nurse: You are entitled to your opinion. That's one of the benefits of our great country.

As a union member you should be aware of the rules of effective negotiation, one being that it's never about the person, but about the issues. If you were a martial artist you would also be aware that to those of us trained in traditional martial arts, the black belt means a return to the beginning (white belt). Martial arts are a means to self reflection and betterment of oneself...among other things. According to my evaluation, which has a lot of input from the union staff nurses, they do not think of me as being smug or having a tough guy attitude so since that's not an argument can you do a little better?

One question, though, have you ever turned down any of the benefits that the union has gained for the hospitals in which you have worked? I will venture a guess; NO!

I have a different health insurance package than they do but have not even looked at their benefits. They can easily make more than I do. I've only worked in one union hospital and it's the worse of all I've worked in so far.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Jul 7, 2004

We hear over and over from people who are against nurses unionizing that unions are not for "professionals" and that as such, nurse need to "come together and realize their power". I believe that unionizing is exactly that- nurses coming together and realizing our power.

zenman · Jul 7, 2004

Posted by fergus51: I just have to laugh, cause everytime I read blanket criticisms of unions the poster never says what the better solutions are. It's usually just a blanket "nurses have to realize their own power and not unionize"....

Keep laughing cause you're going nowhere. Nurses, considering their numbers, are basically impotent. You are aware of that are you? How many nurses are there? How many are not working in nursing? How many are in unions? You're fighting little isolated battles all over. You have to look at the big picture. You want me to hand you the answer? No!! I don't have a "blanket" criticism of unions; they are just better ways. Think outside the box. Be creative. I took a senator out to lunch once as a registered nurse to tell him about some EMS issues. I asked a hospital CEO, when I had only been at a hospital about 3 weeks, if he would buy pizza for all the staff cause we were working our butts off. His eyes glazed over, probably cause no one had ever asked him that before and his answer, "Oh, ok!" Lots of pizza arrived shortly thereafter. :rotfl:

zenman · Jul 7, 2004

Posted by ResearchRN: It seems to me that "scab" is a derogatory term directed at specific individuals.

The presence of a scab usually means that healing is taking place. :rotfl: :rotfl:

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Jul 7, 2004

Keep laughing cause you're going nowhere. Nurses, considering their numbers, are basically impotent. You are aware of that are you? How many nurses are there? How many are not working in nursing? How many are in unions? You're fighting little isolated battles all over.
Exactly. This is why we need to unionize.
I asked a hospital CEO, when I had only been at a hospital about 3 weeks, if he would buy pizza for all the staff cause we were working our butts off. His eyes glazed over, probably cause no one had ever asked him that before and his answer, "Oh, ok!" Lots of pizza arrived shortly thereafter. :rotfl:

Wow, you got pizza? Haven't we all? I've had plenty of freakin' pizza's from CEOs.

What I haven't gotten is fair treatment and good working conditions.

That's another reason nurses need unions.

Dixiedi · Jul 7, 2004

My friend, who is an experienced travel RN, is thinking about taking a job where she will make $5,000 a week pay, but she has to go to another state and cross a picket line to get to work. I know a little bit about strikes and picket lines from my father, who has been a manager in a auto-parts factory for years. I can remember during strikes people would actually try to attack him physically, damage his car, and even threaten to kill him. Needless to say, I am pretty upset about my friend taking this position. I am very concerned for her safety. Does anyone know anything about nurses on strike? Can those strikes be as violent and dangerous as other union strikes?? I am trying to talk my friend out of going. Any insight/advice you could give me would be great. Thanks.

The RNs were on strike for awhile where I worked some years ago. (Yes, we crossed their line. The RNs choose to stand apart from us so we gave them no support in their efforts.) My friends who were striking, walking the pickeet line waved and greeted me as I came to work. We all understood the others position and respected it.

Anyway, I doubt she will have any problems. Nurses and auto workers are two entirely different kinds of human beings. I'm not saying anything is wrong with auto workers, but if you set a group of nurses on one side of a room and a group of auto workers on the others, the auto workers will be, by far, the more physical group.

When I was working outside of nursing, I crossed a Teamsters picket line. Within a week I had been accused of running over a picketer, the brake lines on my personal car were cut into causing a failure in morning rush hour on my way home, and the final straw that caused me to leave that job was when two guys stopped by my home and told my kids if their mom didn't learn her place they wouldn't have a mom anymore. I didn't go back to work that night.

zenman · Jul 7, 2004

Posted by SmilingBluEyes: Still, some people will disagree with the premise of their (strikerbreakers') actions. And all day long,the strikebreakers can justify what they do by saying they are helping the "poor patients, the people dependent on cabs whose drivers go on strike, students of striking teachers", etc by subbing for striking workers...the money has "nothing" to do with it right????? I think we know why they are out to help and it's not the public they say they are serving....

I can justify my actions. I still want a professional nurse to tell me why they walked out on the very people they profess to help and call it justified. Let's see..."I'm sorry madam about your sick child, but I'll be out on the picket line tomorrow. Your child may die because I didn't arrange for any other nurses to come in and take care of him, but in the end it will be better for everyone in the future. I just don't know any other way to accomplish what we want.""

Yes, I enjoyed the money I made...$35 an hour (which was less than the $65 an hour I billed prior to coming here) and time and a half past 40. The traveling nurses were amazed at what the nurses were making here and many were asking, "What are they striking for?"

That would make me lower than I could ever think of any of them. Not to mention a criminal.

Before we talk about criminals, answer my question above.