Questions about "8 and 80" system and unions

[mayonaise984]

The "8 and 80" system... what is it? Is there more to it than "you get paid overtime"? I can't understand any of the links google sends my way =P

And unions... pros and cons?

Oh and I feel so dumb! I just got hired and I just realized that I did not get all the information regarding the job. The manager was really nice and answered most of the questions I had written done during the interview, and after ALL the situation questions she asked, my mind was blah and I was just happy it was over with. I don't know the benefits of the job! Oh well, I'm just going to suck it up and call the manager tomorrow =P

Anyway, thank you for any help you can send my way!

[premedturnednursing]

hmmm... I'm a pharm tech, and I work on an 8/80 plan. As far as I understand, I get overtime if I work more than 8 hours per day or 80 hours in the pay period. I know that's not much info, but hope that helps.

[smile123]

You could always ask your HR dept. They know how the salaries work, what a 8/80 is, etc.

Unions

Pro: They negotiate contracts for the nurses, so you don't have to.

They work to protect nurses' breaks, prevent mandatory overtime, and keep the patients safe with reasonable nursing patient ratios (it depends on the union, but in California, they do).

Con: It's based on seniority vs. merit. So if you are the new grad on the floor, you will come in at a specific wage and move up the ladder based on the number of years you are there. Some people say there's no incentive for excelling at your job if you are in a union.

This is in contrast to non-union businesses where people are paid on merit and meeting or exceeding objectives. They could come in at different salaries based on their experience, what degrees they have, and what schools they attended.

Everyone must pay union dues whether they are active in the union activities or not.

Question for you: What will you do if the union decides to go on strike?

Again, talk to your HR rep. They will probably have a packet about the union. The union will probably have a hotline number and a website. Good luck.