Potential MN Nurses Strike?

CNL2B · May 22, 2010

Well comparing another state's wages to MN is certainly comparing apples to oranges. Then comparing VA wages in another state to MN isn't even on the same planet. Try comparing union wages in your state to non-union wages and you'll see something closer. The take into account what you pay in dues and the handcuffs the union puts on you and you'll see things look different. If you ask me if it's fair that I have to pay someone to insure a lazy nurse who hasn't kept up on education and training but has been there longer is worth more than me who keeps increasing skills and learning new things. I'll tell you NO. Keep your union, I'll keep a career that I can control

Who are you and what are you saying? Are you saying that other states wages are lower or higher than MN's, because it is my understanding that is goes both ways (we are higher than most southern states, but not as high as some other urban areas, like LA and NY.) What about VA wages and MNs? I work for a VA, and I am telling you that ALL VA nurses pay is determined by a market/locality adjustment, so it's pretty close to what the other local hospitals make, although it is not allowed to be a pay leader in the industry.

Handcuffs? Really? And huge dues? I don't know about MNA dues, but my dues (AFGE) are a whopping $34/4 weeks. Can't say that's really going to break my budget.

It's not a union that keeps lazy nurses employed. It's hospitals HR departments that make you counsel and create corrective action plans 400,000 times before you fire somebody, and, perhaps, middle management non-recognition of the problem (or looking the other way.) If you are saying that lazy nurses don't deserve benefits when their job is the same as yours (even if they aren't doing it well) -- that doesn't follow. Every field of employment has bad eggs. There have to be some standards for what people get for their job description. If somebody told me I wasn't as good a worker as the next guy and tried to take away my benefits -- well, yeah, I gotta say that would be a reason to take on management with collective bargaining. And, that would be a good way to **** off a lot of people, and exactly how not to attract anyone to the profession, which is certainly not what nursing needs right now.

If you wanna keep a career you can control -- go self-employ. Find yourself a private duty job then and ask for your own rate of pay and cover your own benefits. Unfortunately asking for what you want and getting it is not how hospitals operate. And, if you think your career is in ANY amount of control when you are a worker bee for a big hospital corporation, UNION OR NOT UNION -- it's not. Give me a break. The guys at the top running these "non-profits" and paying themselves huge bonuses and taking luxury vacations on the institutions dime are the ones calling all the shots -- even if your hospital doesn't have a union contract. Good luck even finding those guys, much less getting to speak to one, much less influencing one of them regarding your benefits and working conditions.

:uhoh3:

gdeanrn · May 22, 2010

Oh ya, I've seem this bitterness a lot. I've worked for the VA too and know full well where there wage calculations come from. What I was saying was simply to make a comparison between a TX VA wage and an average wage from a totally different region is not a fair comparison. Actually I have been self employed. I've run my own business and I've made far more than I ever will as a nurse but that's not why I do it. Don't ever begrudge executives what they make. If you want the work and the pressure go get the job. But it's not up to you how much they should make.

CNL2B · May 22, 2010

Oh ya, I've seem this bitterness a lot. I've worked for the VA too and know full well where there wage calculations come from. What I was saying was simply to make a comparison between a TX VA wage and an average wage from a totally different region is not a fair comparison. Actually I have been self employed. I've run my own business and I've made far more than I ever will as a nurse but that's not why I do it. Don't ever begrudge executives what they make. If you want the work and the pressure go get the job. But it's not up to you how much they should make.

I'm not quite sure where you are getting that I am bitter. Just because most of the stuff that you have said is baseless and factless -- it doesn't make me bitter. I'm still not understanding what you are trying to compare between wages -- what point are you trying to make?

I'm not begrudging executives what they make -- in the private sector. Non-profits shouldn't operate that way, nor should public service industries, especially when they are talking about cutting services to the community.

cabernet · May 23, 2010

Funny thing I've noticed about seniority. People **** and moan about it until they get some, then it's a whole different story. A 20 year nurse has had 20 yearly evaluations, 20 years of opportunities for them to get rid of her if can't carry water, and 20 years to prove she knows what she's doing. I'm sure there are few here and there that have passed through 20 years of filters, but I don't know many.

Chico David, BSN, RN · May 23, 2010

Funny thing I've noticed about seniority. People **** and moan about it until they get some, then it's a whole different story. A 20 year nurse has had 20 yearly evaluations, 20 years of opportunities for them to get rid of her if can't carry water, and 20 years to prove she knows what she's doing. I'm sure there are few here and there that have passed through 20 years of filters, but I don't know many.

Well said. Anti-union folks like to go on about people being rewarded for seniority instead of merit, But the real-world reality is that without seniority systems, people get rewarded for things like kissing up to the boss instead of merit.

cabernet · May 26, 2010

Chico David,

What is your opinion on using a Federal Mediator? I looked at their web site and they seem pretty balanced, I like the director, he seems pro-union. The hospitals sent a formal letter to the union to restart negotiations with a mediator, I'm just suspicious of their motives. What are the pros and cons? Any experience with them?

Chico David, BSN, RN · May 27, 2010

Chico David,
What is your opinion on using a Federal Mediator? I looked at their web site and they seem pretty balanced, I like the director, he seems pro-union. The hospitals sent a formal letter to the union to restart negotiations with a mediator, I'm just suspicious of their motives. What are the pros and cons? Any experience with them?

My experience is that:

1. There is a lot of variation among mediators - some good some not so good.

2. A mediator tends to help whichever side is weaker sinc e they tend to try to strike a middle ground.

3. When one side asks for a mediator it's hard from a PR standpoint

for the other Side to say no.

cabernet · May 27, 2010

Thank you. They will meet in the next few days. We'll see how it works out.

Leyla~ · May 28, 2010

They've just announced the "one-day" strike will be held June 10th.

livesinscrubs · May 28, 2010

CA just announced a one day strike on June 10th also.

allnurses Guide · May 29, 2010

allina ceo ken paulus won't take pay until nurses settle

paulus was promoted from chief operating officer to chief executive last june, taking over from dick pettingill. paulus made $1.1 million in salary and other compensation in 2008, while he was still chief operating officer, while pettingill made $1.8 million. paulus' promotion would have come with a raise, but his 2009 compensation isn't yet publicly available....

http://www.startribune.com/business/94887114.html

page 2 includes salary - http://www.startribune.com/business/94887114.html?page=2&c=y

msn10 · Jun 2, 2010

In my opinion, striking is abandoning patients. I am very proud to be part of a shared governance structure in a magnet hospital with no union representation. I worked for Teamsters when I worked in an industry setting in college; I never want to go back to that. I prefer educated, invested, competent nurses as the administrative voice, not a factory mentality.

Our first (and ethical) obligation is to the patients. Period.

MN is especially playing with fire. Go on strike and the physicians will be all too happy to show how unprofessional nurses are and take back CRNA autonomy and other APN positions.