PA: Hahnemann RNs nix union bid

[NRSKarenRN]

philadelphia business journal

tuesday, july 7, 2009

hahnemann rns nix union bid

the registered nurses at hahnemann university hospital have voted, by a small margin, against joining a union.

hospital officials said tuesday the results of the election found 309 nurses voted against joining the pennsylvania association of staff nurses and allied professionals [pasnap] and 267 voted in favor of joining the union.

pasnap is affiliated with the california nurses association, which in 2007 reached an agreement with hahnemann’s owner, tenet healthcare corp. (nyse:thc) of dallas on how union organization activities would occur at tenet hospitals.

a total of 767 registered nurses at hahnemann were eligible to vote in the election....

[PICUPNP]

Just as woodenpug said, this is just a protest due to their loss. They can't just bow out gracefully, blame has to be placed. The union was VOTED OUT. Thankfully these nurse's knew a bad thing when they saw it.

[Woodenpug, BSN]

Our contract expires in October of this year. The SEIU is already trying to dampen expectations of the staff by explaining that "times are tough, you may be fortunate to have your pay and benefits frozen". There are parts of the 2006 agreement that still have not been implemented by the health system. Our union dues have reached 70.00 per month, and will likely be raised. Most of our staff thinks that the Hahnemann RNs did the right thing, which is a shame because I think that EFFECTIVE representation could be good for RNs. They just have to be careful that they select an actual union, not a political fund-raising rent-a-mob posing as one.

I think such a union would require all decision makers (Union and management) to spend at least 2/3 rd's of their time in direct patient care.