offlimits

Congrats to Mass. And in regards to some of the comments above, both the SEIU and the NNOC/CNA have spent exorberants amounts of money on mud slinging. I find that embarrassing. I have been a member of the SEIU in the past, but not a member of the CNA. The hospital I worked in voted to decertify the SEIU. Both of these unions are in a turf battle, and it's all about dues. And all of the other unions are just sitting back and watching, waiting ........this is what organized labor has become in healthcare. I personally have no room in my career for these behaviors. The CNA has lost 2 campaigns in the past month, Vegas and Fresno. Nurses voted to stay with the SEIU while others voted overwhelmingly to remain union free. We do have a national union called the UAN, that some states have decided to disaffiliate from. I don't know, I think my choice to sit this one out comes from a long experienced background in unions and the future of our profession. But I want a choice, in all aspects of life.

and of course you have a right, but we have rights to refrain from a union also. it's a choice you make, to speak for your profession is a right, no matter how you do it. but there are other ways. I have made a choice to NOT be a union advocate. i was a sincere one during most of my career, but saw the change that has occured in the labor movement in this country. " what happens when your votes are not counted and the candidate with the fewer votes is declared the winner? " don't think it can happen? It happened in the White House.....what makes you think it doesn't happen within the union structure? When a union campaigns it is the same campaign as anything in politics....................

Research more.............I am happy you are having a good experience, many others are not.

I am not good at providing links, but call or email the DOH and ask for the latest amendment from this January. Am i ANTI RATIO?, No, but I feel acuity is more important like that legislation in Illinois. I do however feel that unions do not belong in hospitals and with the current turf war out there I find it embarrassing with all of the mud slinging on both ends, that we as professionals would even support such behaviors. We can certainly work with our Associations and not pay for protection, because in essence that is what we do when in a union. I have been on both sides, I can speak for myself. Roseann De Moro is not my advocate, nor is Andy Stern, nor is Lorraine Seidel or Anne Converso. they are not representative of what we need and we need more programs, we need to show what a great profession this is to go into. We do not have enough nurses to go around. With the current surge of private surgi centers etc, nurses are going to them to work. they pay well, they have decent benefits they do not have to work weekends or holidays. there is nothing attractive to draw a nurse to work in a hospital. That is what we need to work on, as a profession.

The staffing ratios are for both LVN's and RN's except in the sub specialty areas. California, as does the rest of the country, has a nursing shortage. Hospital closings are on the rise. new york has the largest shortage in the country. The ratios ask that the hospital take acuity into account. it's not all black and white.

As a former NYSNA representative, i would caution you with the 'promises" they make. NYU/Cornell is non union and a great place to work. NYSNA has recently disaffiliated from the UAN, and is no longer protected under the arm of the AFL-CIO. Peninsula Hospital has just filed to decert NYSNA and there are presently approx. 18 other hospitals following suite. The SEIU is raiding the nysna represented hospitals in the same fashion as the California Nurses Association, and will continue to do so. It's a turf battle, the more members the more dues money. It's no longer about us. There are some really good places to work where you will not have to be subjected to this kind of enviorment. Stick with the non union places, pensions mean nothing unless they are company based. Montefiore chose to stay with their own benefits rather than NYSNA, you need to go with a 401k, save your dues money and invest it that way. NYSNA employees have 401k. You can watch your money go (paying dues) or watch it grow (investing it)

and as for the ratios............you can argue that point as much as you want, i saw the amendment to the ratios from the DOH in California this year. What happens to patient acuity???????

go to the hospitals and work the floors.............I've been an RN for 30 years in and out of unions, unions take your money, waste time in negotiating contracts, you can wait for a contract for 2 yrs and everything is frozen. unions promis but only the hospital delivers. Scripps decerted the CNA, St Rose voted down the CNA, meanwhile they raid each other and claim to be a "brotherhood". it's more like Mafia families. The CNA just got themselves in some deep water in the state of Iowa. The SEIU is raiding NYSNA. It's become a series similiar to the Sopranos......... And the UAN is where in all of this?

I did do my rsearch, nurse not RN, read this years amendment.

After all of the years that NYSNA has been taking dues, and done nothing, like NO MANDATORY OVERTIME, like SAFE STAFFING, and has jumped on the band wagon with the CNA/NNOC people are starting to realize that it's all about the dues, it's all about the money. Lorraine Seidel and Roseann De Moro are not nursing leaders. Roseann is not a nurse, and she was a teamsters. Lorraine has not worked as a nurse since 1982, and she was a director for 1199 RN division and was termed. She then worked for the screen actors guild for 11 yrs. NYSNA disaffiliated from the UAN without the members vote. The members voted against it. St Rose, Las Vegas, did not win a majority of the vote to join the CNA. So history repeats itself, be careful dont sign anything and do your homework.

Tenet has an sweetheart agreement with the union. there is no union bashing going on. do your research. CNA has done nothing and has decerts right in there own state. they want your dues. Nurse patient ratios are just that, nurses, NOT RN, read the legislation..........WAKE UP PEOPLE

New York State Nurses Association is corrupt.

TAZZI what on earth has happened to you? You are a strong individual that can speak for yourself.

Unions are communisim. everyone is equal. that means the poor performer with more seniority gets to outbid you. that means holidays are for the senior RNs. that means you are not professional enough to see yourself as actually being able to speak for your self. At one time yes they were useful when the agenda was for the rights of the nurses and our salaries were poor. We are well paid, and we have come a long way. And for those of you that like to refer to the police and firemen, they dont strike. How dare we walk away from the vey essence of our professionalism, and that is PATIENT CARE.

Has anyone heard that the nurses at Appalachian Regional Healthcare System are taking a strike vote?