All the nurses at our hospital received a letter from our hospital CEO and Vice CEO concering the California Nurses Association/National Nurse Organization Committee.
The letter went mostly like this:
Re: Union Organizers
My Fellow Providence Associates:
Recently, many RNs at Providence Hospital, along with RNs at other hospitals throughout Alabama have been receiving mailers from the California Nurses Association/National Nurse Organization Committee requesting to organize RNs for "collective bargaining." The mailer includes a form for RNs to complete and return to the National Nurse Organization Committee for their union to represent you. Their mass mailings are going out throughout the country.
Providence Hospital wants to let you know the importance of the form or "union authorization card" ...By signing this form, you are agreeing that you want to be represented by the California Nurses Association. This form is not for getting more information about this Union.
A California Nurses Association paid professional salesman, called a "union organizer" or even possible one of your co-workers who has "volunteered" to work for the union, may approach you and ask you to sign a form or union authroization card.
Yoy cannot be pressured for forced to sign a union card. If anyone pressures you to sign a union card against your will, please call HR...or inform you manager. We will see that it is stopped. Remember, you should not sign a union card just to get the person to leave you alone.
....We will continue to work together to imporve the hospital and the care that is given to our patients. We feel this is best achieved through open and direct communication between us that consistant with our values and cultural transformation.....
I WAS HIGHLY INSULTED THAT OUR GOOD OLD BOY NETWORK WOULD THINK NURSES CANNOT MAKE BASIC DECISIONS CONCERNING A UNION. UNIONS IN THE SOUTH ARE SO MUCH NEEDED. THE HOSPITAL LIVES IN THE DARK AGES WHEN IT COMES TO THE WELL BEING OF NURSES GIVING PATIENT CARE.
I HAVE WORKED IN CALIFORNIA AND IT WAS MY EXPERIENCE THAT CALIFORNIA IS ON THE BALL WHEN IT COMES TO NURSE/PATIENT RATIO, MY EXPERIENCE WAS WONDERFUL. THE OLD SAYING 'A FROG THAT LIVES IN A WELL CANNOT TELL YOU ABOUT THE OCEAN" IS SO TRUE IN THIS CASE.
MOST NURSES AT WORKED PUT THE ''LETTER" IN FILE-13, AND MADE COMMENTS OF HOW OUT OF TOUCH THE CEO/HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION IS..
"what's good for the goose is good for the gander", i say.
and one might add, the dues to belong to those hospital assns are big - in the tens of thousands for a typical hospital. and they do it because they know there is strength in numbers. something to learn there?
Here'a another reason for the letters that nurses seem to be getting all over the country from their administrators:
There is an enormous industry in this country that most people never see. They like to go by names like "labor/management consultants" or "union avoidance consultants". People in the labor movement call them union busters. It is a highly sophisticated industry that sucks hundreds of millions of dollars out of the economy every year for the service of helping employers beat back union organizing drives.
Of course these folks have to drum up business, and one of the main ways they market their services is to scare employers. So all those hospital admininsrators have been getting letters from the union busters telling them that CNA/NNOC is organizing in their area and that they better watch out. They give them examples of what that has meant in California - higher wages, better benefits and staffing ratio laws. Then they offer their services to help make sure it doesn't happen in your hospital.
Our relatively small hospital - 460 nurses at the time - spent 1.2 million on just the fees to one of those companies, plus probably at least as much more in managers' time, printing costs etc to try to stop our organizing.
Didn't work, but those companies are the biggest reason that only about 12% of American workers are in unions, even though 60% say they would like to join one.
I was concerned on why a CEO in Alabama, would write an open faced letter to the nursing staff. Why would he be afraid of the California Nurses Association/National Nurse Organization Committee. I am writting my check for the CNA before the night is over!
The hospital I am referring to, pays $24.00 an hour for a nurse with 35+ years experience. Is the CEO afraid the hospital will pay $25.00 an hour if we sign up for the CNA/NNOC!! Maybe we wont have to sit in plastic chairs at $6.00 Wal-mart price, to do our computer charting, if we get a union. Maybe we will graduate to Coleman camping chairs!!
He should be scared, the nurses at our hospital thinks the letter is an insult, like we don't have brain to want better working conditions and pay.
Thanks everyone for your comments, I just keep passing them on the nurses!!
"The hospital I am referring to, pays $24.00 an hour for a nurse with 35+ years experience. Is the CEO afraid the hospital will pay $25.00 an hour if we sign up for the CNA/NNOC!! Maybe we wont have to sit in plastic chairs at $6.00 Wal-mart price, to do our computer charting, if we get a union. Maybe we will graduate to Coleman camping chairs!!"
Now we can see in a nutshell why all the travel nurses at our hospitals in California have southern accents. A few travelers travel for the change and the adventure. Most travel because they can't make a decent living where they live and have bills to pay. And they all come from those states where "right to work" laws make it easy for the hospitals to stay "union free". I suspect most of them would much rather be staying home with their families and sleeping in their own beds rather than in motel rooms.
Lovely people for the most part, by the way. One great lady from Memphis threw herself a going away party and had barbecue fed-exed in from Corky's. Best barbecue I've ever had.
What generally happens after hospital administartors get nervous about unionization are:
-mandatory "union-avoidance" meetings
-improvements in wages benegfits and whatever the hospital perceives that nurses care about
-creation of "shared governance" or "partnership council meetings"--all in the effort to convince you that you don't need a union.
The hospital's strong reaction is proof of the incredible collective power that nurses have when we organize together!
Yeah, I always love their lines about how they don't want a "third party" to "come between" them and their nurses. Nurses around the country are figuring this stuff out pretty well though and we are seeing more and more organizing going on. In my union the biggest obstacle to organizing is finding enough organizers to do the work.
Bottom line, hospitals get very nervous when nurses are united, educated and advocating for their patients. I believe that Nurses can turn any situation around when we are united. My hospitals labor relations won't call my labor rep back half of the time. But when ALL the nurses on one unit were united over an issue----Labor relations was calling my labor rep back every hour!!:yeah:
One loud voice will raise an eyebrow.....100 loud voices can make a change! come on folks. let the good ole boys and gals go to the golf course. its well beyond time to stand together as the professionals we are!
do not be intimidated or be-littled by these silly administrative "warnings". they are not "protecting" you! they will try to "keep the children happy" by throwing cookies at them. sure staffing will improve for a minute. they might do something "extra special" for nurses week...perhaps a hospital logo hoodie. but boys and gals we are worth much more then a t-shirt!
i suggest we celebrate nurses week by taking collective action!
All the nurses at our hospital received a letter from our hospital CEO and Vice CEO concering the California Nurses Association/National Nurse Organization Committee.
The letter went mostly like this:
Re: Union Organizers
My Fellow Providence Associates:
....
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CEO/HOSPITAL IS UP TOO?
Welcome to Walmart Hospital. We feel free to use and abuse you at our discretion. Don't even think about asking for safe working conditions, living wages or decent benefits. If you do there's the door.
Seriously, it is a classic letter in what they call "union avoidance." The sad thing is that as PT Barnum famously observed there's a "born every minute." If I received that letter I would look for an organizer and sign a card.
The hospital I am referring to, pays $24.00 an hour for a nurse with 35+ years experience. Is the CEO afraid the hospital will pay $25.00 an hour if we sign up for the CNA/NNOC!! Maybe we wont have to sit in plastic chairs at $6.00 Wal-mart price, to do our computer charting, if we get a union. Maybe we will graduate to Coleman camping chairs!!
!!
New Grads in MN are paid at least $27/hour. That's the union difference.
:yeah:
Nurseslight
15 Posts
hmmm, one must ask, does the hospital ceo have an emloyment contract??? you bet he/she does!
hospitals belong to their state hospital associations. look up yours, alabamba hospital association. read "about us" alha is [color=#0000cc]the professional organization that represents hospitals and supports them in their efforts...
sounds like a union to me.
"what's good for the goose is good for the gander", i say.