LA County tries to break MD's union

-jt · Aug 8, 2001

The cuts were made in response to a looming deficit in the health department, which is losing much of its federal funding and must close an $884-million gap in four years.

But members of the Service Employees International Union, Local 660 said supervisors were being short-sighted in cutting rather than searching for more money.

Citing supervisors' efforts to beef up nurse recruitment following reports in The Times of delays in medical care at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, Local 660 General Manager Annelle Grajeda said: "The board has acted to address the symptoms of the crisis while simultaneously taking steps to worsen the disease." >>

In other words, this article reports that LA County just CUT 100 nurse positions on the heels of it trying to INCREASE its nurse recruitment efforts. What is wrong with this picture? And how long till LA County realizes it?

economics..........go figure.

fiestynurse · Aug 12, 2001

Here is what the leader of the LA County Doctors Union had to say when questioned about the effect on nursing:

Q: How will the doctor's union affect your relationships with nurses?

Dr. Degregorio: In the past, when we had concerns about nursing, we were unable to make much progress because administration would invariably side with the nurses and the nurses would use their union clout to defend themselves. We feel that our being unionized will put us on equal footing with nursing and administration and help us to achieve improvements in clinical performance.

-jt · Aug 13, 2001

LOL!!!!!!! In the past they told us we were "unprofessional" for "resorting" to becoming a union. Now the shoe is on the foot isnt it! LOL! dont you just love it??????

fiestynurse · Aug 13, 2001

More of what Dr. Degregorio has to say about unions:

Q: What do you say to doctors who express the feeling that "unions are for blue collar workers, not professionals"?

Dr. Degregorio: Doctors need to remember that their education does not make them better than anyone else. Unions serve a valuable purpose for both professionals and non-professionals.

Q: Will you strike?

Dr. Degregorio: Of course not. Our ethical obligation to our patients prevents a strike.

Q: Is a union meaningful if it says that it won't strike?

Dr. Degregorio: Of course it is. Most of the Los Angeles County employees are unionized and life goes on everyday without strikes. Unions are about representation and using the clout of numbers to get attention that would otherwise be given to some other project that management perceives of as being more politically correct or expedient.

CQ: Do you think that the AMA vote to support unionization was caused by the action of LA County doctors?

Dr. Degregorio: No, but we were very pleased at the AMA's decision, and I am considering becoming a member for the first time. We did not want the stigma of being radicals, and the AMA's decision only helps to say that our concerns are shared by much of traditional organized medicine.