Raids on members causing high fever in nurse unions

[Brian]

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.

Full Story: Raids on members causing high fever in nurse unions [Chicago Tribune,United States]

[tlcprn2u]

They justify leaving their patients by knowing its necessary to improve things at their hospital. Sometimes the treatment for a disease is painful, but it's necessary. No one wants chemo, but if it saves your life you'd do it. No nurse wants to strike, but if things have gotten so bad it may be necessary. I would do it if I felt it was necessary. It's a lot better than just packing up and leaving altogether

I totally agree. Packing up and leaving is what too many nurses have been doing for too long. Going somewhere else in the hopes that, at the next hospital, conditions will be better. Only to find out that they are not, or that they are worse! And leaving again, to continue searching. A recent poll of acute care nurses in Fl found that, on average, nurses had been at their current place of employment for 5 years or less. And these were not new grads!

It takes commitment to the facility and the patient community that it serves to stay and struggle to make improvements and to have a real voice in the process through forming a union. I applaud the nurses that do both!

[NephroBSN, BSN, RN]

I see the greater good as being served by strikes sometimes. I see martyr nurses who will tolerate abuse in the name of their patients as part of the problem. You've probably been lucky enough to never work at a place that got that bad.

If a strike is called and as Spacenurse in the next post says patients are diverted to other hospitals how is that for the common good of nurses?

So now the nurses at another hospital are over worked?

We had some problems before and union was mentioned but we took on administration. We had the CEO and the COO and HR in on it. They didn't know what was going on at the bedside.

We told them what was going on. They put out patient surveys. And the patients told them they didn't like the CNA's cleaning toilets and passing trays. We got housekeeping back.

WE actually TALKED TO THE CEO.. I don't know..Seem to work for us.

[tlcprn2u]

If a strike is called and as Spacenurse in the next post says patients are diverted to other hospitals how is that for the common good of nurses?

So now the nurses at another hospital are over worked?

We had some problems before and union was mentioned but we took on administration. We had the CEO and the COO and HR in on it. They didn't know what was going on at the bedside.

We told them what was going on. They put out patient surveys. And the patients told them they didn't like the CNA's cleaning toilets and passing trays. We got housekeeping back.

WE actually TALKED TO THE CEO.. I don't know..Seem to work for us.

Guess what? The word "union" was mentioned and your CEO came running!Doesn't that tell you something? Anything but share the power on a binding contractual legal document.

What you have now can be taken away anytime and there is no recourse.

[pickledpepperRN]

If a strike is called and as Spacenurse in the next post says patients are diverted to other hospitals how is that for the common good of nurses?

So now the nurses at another hospital are over worked?

We had some problems before and union was mentioned but we took on administration. We had the CEO and the COO and HR in on it. They didn't know what was going on at the bedside.

We told them what was going on. They put out patient surveys. And the patients told them they didn't like the CNA's cleaning toilets and passing trays. We got housekeeping back.

WE actually TALKED TO THE CEO.. I don't know..Seem to work for us.

I didn't say they divert patients. They use replacement nurses. They usually don't postpone elective surgeries either.

I am very glad you were able to work out your problems without a union. We were able to do that for a long time.That is as it should be but it seems to be a rare CEO and COO who care what goes on at the bedside in this state the last decade or so..

I've been at my hospital almost 30 years. We didn't need a union until we were bought by those whose priority was the shareholders. If a nurse talked about patient care the for profit CEO got out his clippers and groomed his cuticles.

[NephroBSN, BSN, RN]

Guess what? The word "union" was mentioned and your CEO came running!Doesn't that tell you something? Anything but share the power on a binding contractual legal document.

What you have now can be taken away anytime and there is no recourse.

It was never mentioned to him..WE were all against it. Vehemently . We are up front in Maine. We don't need someone to hold our hands. We kinda tell it like it is.

That happened 12 years ago. They haven't taken it yet .And the same CEO is there. In the late 1990's we were 1:4 on M/S. I did leave that hospital after working there for 15 years. I left to go back to dialysis. I love dialysis.

And the same nurses. That hospital has less than a 5% vacancy rate. As does most of Maine. Most Maine hospitals pay for any person who works there to go to school . They even pay for their books. Maine doesn't really have a nursing shortage.

Both of the big dialysis companies pay for any of their employees to go to school. They still have shortage but dialysis is a realitively new discipline and growing very rapidly. I don't know of any dialysis units that are unionized.

Funny thing is the union hospital when I checked it today had the most jobs posted. Interesting to me.

[NephroBSN, BSN, RN]

I didn't say they divert patients. They use replacement nurses. They usually don't postpone elective surgeries either.

I am very glad you were able to work out your problems without a union. We were able to do that for a long time.That is as it should be but it seems to be a rare CEO and COO who care what goes on at the bedside in this state the last decade or so..

I've been at my hospital almost 30 years. We didn't need a union until we were bought by those whose priority was the shareholders. If a nurse talked about patient care the for profit CEO got out his clippers and groomed his cuticles.

OK...

Do you suppose it's because they wanna fight with you nurses and put you out of business????? How many foreign nurses are working in California now?

How many travel nurses are working there?

I know you aren't goona look it up for me. You don't have to. I already know.

[NephroBSN, BSN, RN]

The hospital should postpone elective procedures.

OK..

[tlcprn2u]

"It was never mentioned to him.." Now that is a novel and naive idea! People talk and word of any unionizing attempt spreads faster than the speed of light. The first ones to hear about it are usually the managers.

"In the late 1990's we were 1:4 on M/S"

I am glad that hospital implemented safe staffing ratios voluntarily. Patient care can only have benefitted from that measure. That is one hospital only, though. I would argue that all patients deserve access to the same care, not be dependent on which hospital they get admitted to.

That is why the Nurse Alliance of SEIU members seek to improve the quality of patient care and create an environment with better working conditions.

[NephroBSN, BSN, RN]

"It was never mentioned to him.." Now that is a novel and naive idea! People talk and word of any unionizing attempt spreads faster than the speed of light. The first ones to hear about it are usually the managers.

"In the late 1990's we were 1:4 on M/S"

I am glad that hospital implemented safe staffing ratios voluntarily. Patient care can only have benefitted from that measure. That is one hospital only, though. I would argue that all patients deserve access to the same care, not be dependent on which hospital they get admitted to.

That is why the Nurse Alliance of SEIU members seek to improve the quality of patient care and create an environment with better working conditions.

Let's see if I can convey this to you again. Union was mentioned as NOT being a possiblity. WE ALL WERE AGAINST IT. The CEO was not intimidated by us.. Maybe that's why HE sat up the meeting.

And how's that going so far??? I don't see it.

As I said one of the union hospitals in Maine has more openings than any of the others.

[ArizonaICU]

I believe the poster you are quoting meant being an independent contractor with the hospital. Working for herself and not the hospital.

Working in the hospital as a bedside nurse but calling the shots.

As far as throwing money at things. That's the only thing the US knows how to do.. Throwing money at poverty, drug abuse etc.

BTW how do nurses achieve safe patient care from the picket line?????

Oh I know safe patient care is only viable when it suits the union.. Sorry my bad

Exactly, why be an employee of hospital? Worst idea ever, if you ask me. Unions are no match for the free market.

eg. I come to hospital x, i say, "you need nurses."

hospital: yes, lots!

Me: Ok i've got 20 of them.

hospital: can they start today?

Me: Yes. They cost $ X.XX

hospital: Smithers, My Checkbook!

Me: Cha-ching! My nurses: Ka-ching!!

FYI a new grad RN from the midwest told me that she was offered $16.50 an hour in a union shop.... Can you believe that? I told here she'd get $24.00 + sign on and loan repay. How bout them apples?

[NephroBSN, BSN, RN]

Exactly, why be an employee of hospital? Worst idea ever, if you ask me. Unions are no match for the free market.

eg. I come to hospital x, i say, "you need nurses."

hospital: yes, lots!

Me: Ok i've got 20 of them.

hospital: can they start today?

Me: Yes. They cost $ X.XX

hospital: Smithers, My Checkbook!

Me: Cha-ching! My nurses: Ka-ching!!

FYI a new grad RN from the midwest told me that she was offered $16.50 an hour in a union shop.... Can you believe that? I told here she'd get $24.00 + sign on and loan repay. How bout them apples?

Yes that's what I do as a travel nurse. If the payrate is too low I just say.

"They must not need a nurse very bad." And move on. I've had them come back with a better offer and I've taken the money.

One thing with unions is that they seem to have all the answers.

A union is only as strong as it's weakest link and they tend to prey on the weak. JMHO..

Are unions pushing for the compact. NO because they are afraid it will bust up their strikes. But wouldn't it be nice for a nurse to be able to move freely about the country to work. Wait that would give an INDIVIDUAL nurse too much power..What WAS I thinking by mentioning it.

When I counsel a patient about his health I try to give him as much information as I can. I guess that's just my own personal take on it all.

NO UNION IS A GOOD UNION

[fergus51]

If a strike is called and as Spacenurse in the next post says patients are diverted to other hospitals how is that for the common good of nurses?

So now the nurses at another hospital are over worked?

We had some problems before and union was mentioned but we took on administration. We had the CEO and the COO and HR in on it. They didn't know what was going on at the bedside.

We told them what was going on. They put out patient surveys. And the patients told them they didn't like the CNA's cleaning toilets and passing trays. We got housekeeping back.

WE actually TALKED TO THE CEO.. I don't know..Seem to work for us.

You're lucky then. It doesn't work for everyone. The world isn't black and white and one solution isn't right for every problem. I wish it was.

It's good for nurses if the strike makes things better in the end. I don't know why that's so hard to understand. Yes, it's painful when it happens I'm sure. But the gains may be worth the pain. Sometimes it's all that's left.