California Nurses Association may be targeting University of Chicago after Cook County win
If there's a campaign map on the wall at the Oakland, Calif., headquarters of the California Nurses Association, the Chicago area must be ground zero.
Since winning away Cook County's 1,800 nurses from the Illinois Nurses Association, the independent union has linked with nurses at more than 20 Chicago-area hospitals with the goal of organizing a handful of them, union officials say.
One possible target is the University of Chicago Hospitals, where workers from the national organizing arm of the California Nurses have been talking with nurses.
They say they are only helping the 1,300 University of Chicago nurses, who belong to the Illinois Nurses Association. But they do not rule out an eventual organizing drive like the one they successfully staged at Cook County.
The situation is "reminiscent" of what happened with Cook County's nurses, confirmed Fernando Losada, head of Midwest operations for the National Nurses Organizing Committee, the national arm for the California Nurses Association.
Look: if non-union shops did offer better pay and benefits, then I would tend to agree with you. But the fact of the matter is: they don't. They don't want to pay more unless they absolutely have to, and the union is usually the only way they will pay more.
According to the U.S. Labor Department, the average union RN makes $7,000 a year more than non-union RN's. So even if you're paying as much as $1,000 a year in union dues, that's a 600 percent rate of return on your union dues investment.
Great...
Now how much of that 7K more annually is because those nurses live in, say NY, LA, SF Oakland, Chicago...etc (YOu know the population centers where unions are) and they make more than other RNs because of the cost of living?
And that doesn't include retirement and other benefits which, you and I have previously discussed, are much better at union hospitals. The retirement benefits at non-union hospitals are practically non-existent. That's why a lot of RN's keep voting union.
That is a load...
Quite frankly, the only propaganda I've been hearing in interviews is from the non-union shops. They claim they have the best benefits and pay but, when you actually compare what they're offering versus the nearby union hospitals it's a joke. The non-union shops don't even come close to union pay and benefits which, btw, are guaranteed by contract.
Wait...interviews from nurses that work in Non union shops are BS, while interviews of nurses that work in Union shops are shining beacons of hope?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Meanwhile, some non-union shops are actually cutting their benefits packages ... both healthcare and retirement ... for current RN employees and new hires, which is kind of shocking when you consider the huge shortage in California. I guess they're hoping people won't check and compare but, when you do, the differences are too great to ignore.
I hate to be the one to break it to you, if all hospitals do not start cutting costs really soon...even more are going to close. all the unrecoverable costs from illegal aliens is eating California alive...it is cheaper to close beds, and therefore nurses, (labor is always the biggest expenditure in business) But, hey, I know, I am the one that is drinking the kool-aid
Specializes in Happily semi-retired; excited for the whole whammy.
I hate to be the one to break it to you, if all hospitals do not start cutting costs really soon...even more are going to close. all the unrecoverable costs from illegal aliens is eating California alive...it is cheaper to close beds, and therefore nurses, (labor is always the biggest expenditure in business) But, hey, I know, I am the one that is drinking the kool-aid
So... because of the so-called unrecoverable costs of treating undocumented immigrants (not all together accurate, but we'll go with it for the purposes of this conversation), nurses should be willing to take a pay cut just so the hospital will stay open and they'll keep their job there? No, thank you. I'd let the hospital close and go work elsewhere. Why should I forgo what I'm worth? Maybe the CEO should be the one to go home and explain to his children that Daddy decided to take a massive pay cut and give up his benefits. I just don't understand why you would drag immigration status of patients into things. To me, it defeats your point more than it makes it.
Right. But it's the nurses' salaries that are going to break these hospitals. Yeah, that's it.... blame it on the nurses.
Sigh,
I love the emotional appeal..(THEY MAKE THIS MUCH)
These executive salaries are exhorbentent, no doubt, but they are more than in line with what corporate America executives make. They are paid for leadership, education, decision making and as a public face to the corporation.
They are also paid by the shareholders, the whole purpose of the CEO is maximize the shareholder's wealth, if they are not doing that, for whatever reason, then the Board and shareholders will remove them.
It is no accident that I have a BSBA and that I am working on an MBA with a HealthCare Administration Focus...
But, what about the non-profit hospitals where nurses are unionized, is it still evil management?
What about the 175K annually that the head of CNA makes, or the job that she gave her hubby for 100k?
With all this emotional appeal, no one has bothered to address the question about geographical location and salary. I mean it is nice to say that union nurses make 7k more a year than non union...but what about union vs non union in so cal, union in cal vs union in Indiana and so forth...you know apples to apples.
Right. But it's the nurses' salaries that are going to break these hospitals. Yeah, that's it.... blame it on the nurses.
And, one more thing, these guys were able to negotiate their salary without a union to do it for them, seems that the individual can do better than the collective after all
Look: if non-union shops did offer better pay and benefits, then I would tend to agree with you. But the fact of the matter is: they don't. They won't pay more unless they absolutely have to, and the union is usually the only way they will pay more.
I live and work in Texas, an evil 'right to work' state.
I make probably as much as my counter-parts in Calif - that are union employees. (With overtime, I am precariously close to a 6 figure income. With ALOT of overtime, I can reach that, and have.)
My 4 br, 2 car garage house on a cul-de-sac cost me 98,500 in 2004. My kiddo's school district is widely recognized as a 'rich' district, and one of the best in the State. I paid $2,500 in property (city/county/school) taxes last year. My sales tax is 8.25%. NO STATE INCOME TAX.
No mandatory overtime. State law provides protection from dangerous staffing. (Texas 'Safe Harbor' Law).
I have a 403(b) defined contribution retirement plan, AND a defined benefit retirement plan.
I work in a 'closed' critical care unit. It means that I don't float, unless I volunteer to float. The trade-off of a 'closed' unit is that we are expected to be a tad more flexible with staffing issues. Our staffing 'grid' is 2:1. If nobody will agree to come in extra, rarely it will be 3:1 but even then, it's 'means tested', to make sure that load is easier (and the nurses take their turns.). It's is the trade-off of being 'closed': nobody floats in, nobody floats out. I wouldn't trade it for the world. My last job: I floated at least once a week.
(In the last 9 months, I've had 3 pts about 4 times. I've floated 0 times) And my boss will come in and work - night shift too - before that happens.
Healthcare/dental/vision package for me and my children runs about 100/payday. And that is 250 ded/1500 cap per person w/ $25 family doc co-pay (no ded)/ $35 specialist co-pay (no ded) / $20/$40//$30/$60 prescription (gen/name/90-day supply) (no ded).
$10,000/2 yr sign on bonus. Clinical Ladder bonus of about ~1500/yr, if you apply yourself.
There are enough people that work weekends that I rarely work fri/sat nights.
Free and easily accessible employee parking - with enough actual space to always get a parking spot.
My union won't try to get me fired because it didn't get its dues money on time - oh wait, no union to worry about at all. No extra union management. Shoot I DON'T PAY UNION DUES.
I can't think of a single reason why I'd want to be part of a union. Y'all union employees out there don't have it better than me. NO union would have a chance here - and not just because it's 'right-to-work'. I doubt you could find 20% of nurses in this area that would think the extra bureaucracy of a union was a good thing. And less would actually join and pay dues.
I live and work in Texas, an evil 'right to work' state.
I make probably as much as my counter-parts in Calif - that are union employees. (With overtime, I am precariously close to a 6 figure income. With ALOT of overtime, I can reach that, and have.)
My 4 br, 2 car garage house on a cul-de-sac cost me 98,500 in 2004. My kiddo's school district is widely recognized as a 'rich' district, and one of the best in the State. I paid $2,500 in property (city/county/school) taxes last year. My sales tax is 8.25%. NO STATE INCOME TAX.
No mandatory overtime. State law provides protection from dangerous staffing. (Texas 'Safe Harbor' Law).
I have a 403(b) contribution retirement plan, AND a defined benefit retirement plan.
I work in a 'closed' critical care unit. It means that I don't float, unless I volunteer to float. The trade-off of a 'closed' unit is that we are expected to be a tad more flexible with staffing issues. Our staffing 'grid' is 2:1. If nobody will agree to come in extra, rarely it will be 3:1 but even then, it's 'means tested', to make sure that load is easier (and the nurses take their turns.). It's is the trade-off of being 'closed': nobody floats in, nobody floats out. I wouldn't trade it for the world. My last job: I floated at least once a week.
(In the last 9 months, I've had 3 pts about 4 times.) And my boss will come in and work - night shift too - before that happens.
Healthcare/dental/vision package for me and my children runs about 100/payday. And that is 250 ded/1500 cap per person w/ $25 family doc co-pay (no ded)/ $35 specialist co-pay (no ded) / $20/$40//$30/$60 prescription (gen/name/90-day supply) (no ded).
$10,000/2 yr sign on bonus. Clinical Ladder bonus of about ~1500/yr, if you apply yourself.
There are enough people that work weekends that I rarely work fri/sat nights.
Free and easily accessible employee parking - with enough actual space to always get a parking spot.
My union won't try to get me fired because it didn't get its dues money on time - oh wait, no union to worry about at all. No extra union management. Shoot I DON'T PAY UNION DUES.
I can't think of a single reason why I'd want to be part of a union. Y'all union employees out there don't have it better than me. NO union would have a chance here - and not just because it's 'right-to-work'. I doubt you could find 20% of nurses in this area that would think the extra bureaucracy of a union was a good thing. And less would actually join and pay dues.
I make probably as much as my counter-parts in Calif - that are union employees.
Not to comment on your individual situation but, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says that in November, 2004, California RN's, on average, made $15,000 a year more than Texas RN's.
I'm sure this will bring up the inevitable cost of living arguments and, ideally, you'd want to compare net income between the two states. But I'm not sure there's any available data to answer that question.
Not to comment on your individual situation but, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says that in November, 2004, California RN's, on average, made $15,000 a year more than Texas RN's.
I'm sure this will bring up the inevitable cost of living arguments but, I'm not sure if any comprehensive data is available to compare the two states on that question.
I think that particular deficit is more than covered by cost of living..(when in doubt look at the cost of real estate + taxes)
NurseKevin
140 Posts
Great...
Now how much of that 7K more annually is because those nurses live in, say NY, LA, SF Oakland, Chicago...etc (YOu know the population centers where unions are) and they make more than other RNs because of the cost of living?
That is a load...Wait...interviews from nurses that work in Non union shops are BS, while interviews of nurses that work in Union shops are shining beacons of hope?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I hate to be the one to break it to you, if all hospitals do not start cutting costs really soon...even more are going to close. all the unrecoverable costs from illegal aliens is eating California alive...it is cheaper to close beds, and therefore nurses, (labor is always the biggest expenditure in business) But, hey, I know, I am the one that is drinking the kool-aid