Providence Nurses, I need your input

lindarn · Feb 21, 2006

I am looking for some input from my sister and brother nurses working in the Providence System, both union and non-union facilities. I am currently nursiing at a non-union facility. I am troubled by the sinking morale of my co-workers. They feel they are constantly harrassed into working additional shifts, are frequently "short staffed" even by the staffing guidelines dictated by the hospital, increasing reliance on "traveling staff" d/t staff leaving for perceived better situations. I am witnessing staff that has been at the facility for more than 20 years looking elsewhere or retiring early because they can no longer tolerate the increasing work loads and pressure. There is a perceived decrease in quality of care d/t these issues and this contributes to decreasing morale.
I am beginning to hear conversation "around the water cooler" of possible unionization. I have never been a union nurse in all my many years.
I am hoping for some input from differing views. What do you see and advantages and disadvantages of being union and represented by the ONA?

Thanks for your thoughts
( I will be leaving for vacation soon and hope when I return to find some input here. I will respond to anyone kind enough to help me assess what might come to be at my facility)

I worked at Sacred Heart Medical Center here in Spokane for 12 years. The Prividence system is a top heavy organization. They do not treat their employees, especially nurses, well. We were organized with the Washington State Nurses Association. I can't speak for the Oregon State Nurses Association, but WSNA was as useless as tits on a bull. They allowed harrassment by management and administration, unsafe practices, did not advocate for the nursing staff, and negotated the worst contracts for the nurses. They definately had a management tilt, in terms of contract language, practices, and in grievance procedures. The entire time I was there, we had nothing but take- aways on our contracts. Their last contract, the hospital wanted to increase the cost of medical benefits 20%, but only wanted to give a 5% pay increase. WSNA allowed contract to be voted on and did not even negotiate for retroactive pay for the raise from when the contract expired. The contract went 3 months past when it expired, and the nurses lost all that retroactive pay that they should have received. As the nurses went to vote on the contract, they put in paperwork to get out of WSNA.

You should definately unionize, but the state nursing association is the wrong way to go. You should contact the NNOC of the California Nurses Association, as the Illinois nurses did just a couple of months ago. They got a great contract. Providence plays hardball, and you are powerless with out a union representing you. But be forewarned, a useless union is more problems than being without one. Nurses must unionize with a powerfull union, and NNOC is the way to go. The Pacific NW needs a strong union influence, especially here in Spokane. There are three schools of nursing here, and the hospitals are not interered in retaining the experienced nurses. They would rather pay a new grad half of what the older nurses make.

Contact me if you have any more questions.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

bowkerj · Feb 22, 2006

I am looking for some input from my sister and brother nurses working in the Providence System, both union and non-union facilities. I am currently nursiing at a non-union facility. I am troubled by the sinking morale of my co-workers. They feel they are constantly harrassed into working additional shifts, are frequently "short staffed" even by the staffing guidelines dictated by the hospital, increasing reliance on "traveling staff" d/t staff leaving for perceived better situations. I am witnessing staff that has been at the facility for more than 20 years looking elsewhere or retiring early because they can no longer tolerate the increasing work loads and pressure. There is a perceived decrease in quality of care d/t these issues and this contributes to decreasing morale.
I am beginning to hear conversation "around the water cooler" of possible unionization. I have never been a union nurse in all my many years.
I am hoping for some input from differing views. What do you see and advantages and disadvantages of being union and represented by the ONA?

Thanks for your thoughts
( I will be leaving for vacation soon and hope when I return to find some input here. I will respond to anyone kind enough to help me assess what might come to be at my facility)

Providence Portland and Providence St. Vincent (both in Portland) are Magnet hospitals - I hear they are wonderful. http://www.nursingworld.org/ancc/magnet/facilities.html#OR

They are the only Magnet facilities in Oregon. I think the VA is applying for magnet status but it hasn't been granted yet.