Nursing Unions-what is the good,bad, ugly?

lindarn · Oct 23, 2010

I have seen many nurses jobs saved by union intervention, predominately those that involve management simply looking to do away with a "trouble-making" nurse by engaging in various forms of scheming, framing, debauchery, blackmailing, you name it (trouble-making defined as doing anything other than obediently doing as your told.) Oh, the stories I could tell you, you would be repulsed. Management uses and abuses staff for their own personal and professional gain, we already know that, but if it wasn't for strong and consistent union support well... dare I say Canadian nurses would be in the same dire predicament as my non-unionized American colleagues who are forced to compromise their principles, dignity and safety for fear of being thrown out on the street unnecessarily. I used to b!tch and complain about my union(s) but no more... not while I'm shaking my head in amazement at some of the crap I'm reading on this forum.

Stupid is as stupid does- from the movie, Forrest Gump.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Somewhere in the PACNW

NJMEDguy48 · Oct 23, 2010

I have seen many nurses jobs saved by union intervention, predominately those that involve management simply looking to do away with a "trouble-making" nurse by engaging in various forms of scheming, framing, debauchery, blackmailing, you name it (trouble-making defined as doing anything other than obediently doing as your told.) Oh, the stories I could tell you, you would be repulsed. Management uses and abuses staff for their own personal and professional gain, we already know that, but if it wasn't for strong and consistent union support well... dare I say Canadian nurses would be in the same dire predicament as my non-unionized American colleagues who are forced to compromise their principles, dignity and safety for fear of being thrown out on the street unnecessarily. I used to b!tch and complain about my union(s) but no more... not while I'm shaking my head in amazement at some of the crap I'm reading on this forum.

Well I am done with this forum.... I read a ton of (not all) the other posts here. I have even received calls from friends whom saw my responses and thoughts. I am not 100% convinced either way about unions. I will say that Nurses have it tough and need to support each other with or without a Union. I also believe that CNAS LPNS RNS BSNs MSNS APNS ESPNS