Nursing unions and small hospitals

[deespoohbear]

Do small, not-for-profit, county controlled hospitals have unions? I was reading through another thread about unions and it seemed like all those facilities were large hospitals. The facility I work at is about 80 beds total, and non-union. Anyone work for a small hospital in which the nurses are unionized? If so, does the union benefit the nurses at all? I would like to hear of anyone's experience with this. Thanks...

[karbyr]

the local hospital where i live is unionized, about the same size

portage view hospital in Hancock, MI

[OC_An Khe]

Also small New England community hospital. Been Unionized for a long time. Works fine.

[deespoohbear]

I would love to see an union at our facility, but I know I would probably end up losing my job before it was all said and done....not even sure who to contact for information about unions...have done some research on the web about it. Thanks for your replies...

[ceecel.dee, MSN, RN]

35 bed facility, non-profit, unionized.

The union is beneficial if your admininistration is unapproachable, user-unfriendly, nursing-unfriendly, dictatorial.

The union also allows the management to be totally uncreative in any problem solving ("you guys signed the contract, so you'll have to renegotiate that language if it's not working for you").

It definately has it's pro's and con's.

[Larabelle]

I am currently working at a hospital which is unionized. This is my first time working for a facility which has a union. In comparing working for facilities without unions and one which has a union is I will never work for another facility which does not have a union.

[momatwork]

Unions are for profit agencies.I don't need a middle man to speak or advocate for me...it removes free speech..........