Nurses' Unions

Nurses Union

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The topic of unionization has come up,lately, at work, and it got me wondering. So I'm hoping some of you nurses who are currently represented by unions could tell me what union you're with, and how your experience with it has been. I'm ambivalent about the whole idea, but that's a change from being pretty firmly opposed. Any feedback will be appreciated.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

To me the only safe nurse in a severely understaffed environment is the one with eyes in the back of his/her head that also have x-ray vision, the ability to leap tall stretchers in a single bound, go-go-Gadget arms and several clones of him/herself running around keeping track of everything.

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The social data shows that union friendly states have better economies, health care outcomes, better educational systems and higher HS graduation rates.

Take the data from right to work states on health outcomes, HS graduation rates, student testing data and percentages of uninsured vs non right to work states. The non right to work states do (much) better.

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Specializes in LTC/SNF, Psychiatric, Pharmaceutical.
I do like strike money.

safe staffing is over rated. Just need safe nurses.

The best nurse in the world can only do so much, just because there is only one of him/her. With patient acuity rising all the time, the chances for multiple emergencies arising beyond the capability of an already over-extended staff to manage them increase. Nor is there time to even do routine nursing care anymore, allowing health issues which could have been easily nipped in the bud when they were minor to balloon into emergent conditions. We don't get paid enough to take on that kind of liability.

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Specializes in ER/EHR Trainer.

Live in a right to work state. My hospital has union. Not thrilled with their outcomes. I pay....nothing is done. We are the lowest paid hospital in the area....our contract from Nov 06 has still not seen the light of day....and now we are losing our no copay health benefits that were negotiated for. Where is the benefit for me and my coworkers? They don't even fight for us. What a waste of money...

PS The only reason I stay is because I enjoy my coworkers and my comfort level.

Maisy;)

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Live in a right to work state. My hospital has union. Not thrilled with their outcomes. I pay....nothing is done. We are the lowest paid hospital in the area....our contract from Nov 06 has still not seen the light of day....and now we are losing our no copay health benefits that were negotiated for. Where is the benefit for me and my coworkers? They don't even fight for us. What a waste of money...

PS The only reason I stay is because I enjoy my coworkers and my comfort level.

Maisy;)

Sounds like you need a DIFFERENT union, one with clout.Would you be comfortable with saying which union you have ?Curious.
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Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.
The social data shows that union friendly states have better economies, health care outcomes, better educational systems and higher HS graduation rates.

Take the data from right to work states on health outcomes, HS graduation rates, student testing data and percentages of uninsured vs non right to work states. The non right to work states do (much) better.

Collecting and interpreting data can always be made to look better for what you are trying to say. I can probably take the same data and have it interpreted 180 degrees differently

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Specializes in ER/EHR Trainer.
Sounds like you need a DIFFERENT union, one with clout.Would you be comfortable with saying which union you have ?Curious.

NJNU-At this point I am not sure anyone whould support a new union enviornment....they sure as hell aren't supporting the old one. Unfortunately, people here are complacent.....and just deal with it!

Maisy;)

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Specializes in Cardiac Critical Care, Trauma, Neuro..
Sherwood,

The evidence shows that the vast majority of people and professionals do better under a unionized environment. Doctors all belong to a union. What is the AMA? It is an association designed to advance the interests of the medical profession. What is the NFIB? A union to advance the interests of businessman.

The right to belong to a union is guaranteed under the 1st amendment for freedom of association. This doesn't mean that anyone has to join the union as a full member. But I do think that if you are in a union hospital that it is in the interests of the broad group to attend meetings to express your concerns and ideas.

I have had this same argument with someone here before was it you? All Doctors do not belong to a union. The NFIB does not consider themselves a union. In fact the NFIB lobbies against many of the issues the unions lobby for.

The AMA is a VOLUNTARY Professional organization of physicians.

The NFIB is a Voluntary organization of professional business men and women.

The NFIB does not think much of unions or the union agenda either, read their website http://www.nfib.com/page/laborIssues.html

In fact it was you and I who have had this discussion before.

https://allnurses.com/forums/f100/mt-sinai-hospital-chicago-rn-s-reject-cna-nnoc-representation-241206.html#post2340952

There is a huge difference in voluntary membership and voluntary dues payments to organizations that you support and believe in. Something is very wrong when labor unions lobby to mandate forced unionism and require paying the unions protection money in order to keep your job.

This is why I consented to join in a lawsuit in US Chamber of Commerce vs Brown (State of California). This case will be heard before the United States Supreme Court this spring.

http://www.nrtw.org/b/nr_718.php

http://www.scotusblog.com/movabletype/archives/06-939_cert_amicus_NRTW.pdf

Employees deserve to hear all the facts as told by both sides in the unionization argument. Employers voices should not be muffled while the union overwhelms a facility with their version of the truth.

Thank you!

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Sherwood has been so kind as to post the Brief of his and the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation's case to be heard in the US Supreme Court . Here is some info about this case from the records of the NLRB.

http://www.nlrb.gov/shared_files/Regional%20Decisions/2007/21-RC-00936-3-2-07.pdf

Pay close attention to Objection Number 9 in the NLRB Report , sheds some light on what this is all about. I think it is important to hear the other side of Sherwoods argument from the CNA itself.The "protection money" that Sherwood refers to is union dues, WORTH every PENNY, especially when health care corporations do unscrupulous things and the nurse needs protection. I am not a member of the CNA, but I do feel that both sides of this story needs to be heard. Employees should not be intimidated and coerced by agents of the employer.

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Collecting and interpreting data can always be made to look better for what you are trying to say. I can probably take the same data and have it interpreted 180 degrees differently

if you think you can, that lets see you have a go at it......

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Specializes in Cardiac Critical Care, Trauma, Neuro..
Sherwood has been so kind as to post the Brief of his and the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation's case to be heard in the US Supreme Court . Here is some info about this case from the records of the NLRB.

http://www.nlrb.gov/shared_files/Regional%20Decisions/2007/21-RC-00936-3-2-07.pdf

Pay close attention to Objection Number 9 in the NLRB Report , sheds some light on what this is all about. I think it is important to hear the other side of Sherwoods argument from the CNA itself.The "protection money" that Sherwood refers to is union dues, WORTH every PENNY, especially when health care corporations do unscrupulous things and the nurse needs protection. I am not a member of the CNA, but I do feel that both sides of this story needs to be heard. Employees should not be intimidated and coerced by agents of the employer.

It needs to be remembered that the CNA filed all those charges and made all those accusations blocking certification of the election and then after an investigation the California Nurses Association was unable to prove even one of the charges. Not a single one!

In fact, a hearing was scheduled to give the CNA a chance to present their case and they requested the hearing be canceled. A few days later the California Nurses Association withdrew ALL the charges and withdrew the petition for election entirely. The Nurses at my hospital put up with months of CNA harrassment then they filled charges that were outrageous, without one shred of fact to back any of it up. Then the CNA just walks away.

Those are the facts. Feels free the verify that with the NLRB.

Sherwood

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Speaking of unions, a temp staffing agency just called me up today to ask if I would work as a strike buster(well temp nurse) in Northern Ca. Seems there is a strike set for two weeks from now. Pay wasn't all that great, so I'm just sitting tight!

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