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]

[fergus51]

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

I get this impression about the other side too:lol2: The answer is always "well, just talk to management, negotiate on your own"... but no good answer comes to "What if management won't talk or negotiate with you?".

[NephroBSN, BSN, RN]

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.

Should we poll the nurses in Michigan or is it Minnesota on that.

Also how big is that IF.

What IF nurses get all these bennies and later on there is no money left to take care of them in their golden years.

Not everything is TODAY.

[NephroBSN, BSN, RN]

I get this impression about the other side too:lol2: The answer is always "well, just talk to management, negotiate on your own"... but no good answer comes to "What if management won't talk or negotiate with you?".

Hi

[tlcprn2u]

I see you're easily impressed...

After the union is in do you ever just talk to mangement without the union?????

Of course employees talk with or to management without "the union"!! WE are the union!! So we can talk and meet with our managers as much as (or as little as) before forming a union.

Up to now, your stated perceptions of unions come straight out of a union buster's manual: "third party", "outsiders", "free will". You seem to have missed the social and legislative improvements that happened because of the involvement and work of union members. All over, not just in the USA!

[fergus51]

I see you're easily impressed...

After the union is in do you ever just talk to mangement without the union?????

Of course. Most things are done without the union involved. I have not called a union steward in.... well, over three years anyways cause that was back when I worked L&D... I've dealt with management plenty in that time. It isn't like you suddenly become a brainless mute if you take a union job.

[fergus51]

Should we poll the nurses in Michigan or is it Minnesota on that.

Also how big is that IF.

What IF nurses get all these bennies and later on there is no money left to take care of them in their golden years.

Not everything is TODAY.

Yes, it's an IF. I'll take an "IF" over a "no way in he!!" anyday. I don't play it safe because I think things could always get worse. I like to think that things could get better and that's what I'll go for everytime.

Today vs tomorrow.... yeah, that's a concern. But I've yet to see any nurse get so much today that the company can't put some money away for tomorrow. You don't sacrifice tomorrow for today, but you shouldn't do the opposite either (cause I live today).

[ArizonaICU]

I get this impression about the other side too:lol2: The answer is always "well, just talk to management, negotiate on your own"... but no good answer comes to "What if management won't talk or negotiate with you?".

if management won't talk or negotiate with you, then LEAVE. Someone else could use your time and talents, and will pay you more. You don't owe THEM anything. So why let them take advantage of you like that?

[NephroBSN, BSN, RN]

if management won't talk or negotiate with you, then LEAVE. Someone else could use your time and talents, and will pay you more. You don't owe THEM anything. So why let them take advantage of you like that?

So they can be shop steward and push it on other nurses..

NO UNION IS A GOOD UNION

[ArizonaICU]

Yes, it's an IF. I'll take an "IF" over a "no way in he!!" anyday. I don't play it safe because I think things could always get worse. I like to think that things could get better and that's what I'll go for everytime.

Today vs tomorrow.... yeah, that's a concern. But I've yet to see any nurse get so much today that the company can't put some money away for tomorrow. You don't sacrifice tomorrow for today, but you shouldn't do the opposite either (cause I live today).

WHY don't you both face reality? No company wants to put anything away for you! Even IF you have a pension, a company could decide later that you're not going get squat!

I don't get this blue collar mentality some folks have about the company is gonna take care of them after they put in their 20 years. It ain't gonna happen.

If anybody needs to put money away for tomorrow, it is YOU, the RN.We are NOT blue collar people were professionals, and that means stop thinking like youre a factory worker living in the the 1970's!

The world doesn't owe you anything. Unions don't owe you anything. You need to realize that healthcare is a business. Everybody who is involved is making as much money off of it as they possibly can- doctors, hospitals, pharma, investors, insurance companies, etc. These people are making a buck off of nurses as well, because the work we do generates a lot of revenue and we are way undercompensated for it.

I think the Martyr Marys of this world should really put their money where there mouth is and volunteer or join the peace corps, if they really feel they shouldn't be compensated for what they do.

Let me also say this. Unions were great when industry was unregulated and there was no government protection for workers, so the workers united and yes, progress was made. Then the unions became corrupt and full of nepotism. Unions are also often not in sync politically with the views of their membership. I was a union member, and they sold us out. They had no teeth. We actually took a pay cut. Never got a lunch, either.

So, don't tell me that I don't know, because I do. I was in one. Their attitude was that the rank and file were too stupid to make their own decisions about wages and working conditions. And too stupid to survive on their own, without the union there to "look after" them.

Don't buy into it. You may think you want a union, but you don't. What you do want is to own your own business and have a relationship of equals with the business clients you've got. Unions are for employees. Being an employee is a nurses worst mistake.

I set my own terms and wages, and my boss is me. I am compensated well. I have a SEP-IRA that my company that I own matches my contributions to.

You want what I have. Stop missing out on this,

[NephroBSN, BSN, RN]

WHY don't you both face reality? No company wants to put anything away for you! Even IF you have a pension, a company could decide later that you're not going get squat!

I don't get this blue collar mentality some folks have about the company is gonna take care of them after they put in their 20 years. It ain't gonna happen.

If anybody needs to put money away for tomorrow, it is YOU, the RN.We are NOT blue collar people were professionals, and that means stop thinking like youre a factory worker living in the the 1970's!

The world doesn't owe you anything. Unions don't owe you anything. You need to realize that healthcare is a business. Everybody who is involved is making as much money off of it as they possibly can- doctors, hospitals, pharma, investors, insurance companies, etc. These people are making a buck off of nurses as well, because the work we do generates a lot of revenue and we are way undercompensated for it.

I think the Martyr Marys of this world should really put their money where there mouth is and volunteer or join the peace corps, if they really feel they shouldn't be compensated for what they do.

Let me also say this. Unions were great when industry was unregulated and there was no government protection for workers, so the workers united and yes, progress was made. Then the unions became corrupt and full of nepotism. Unions are also often not in sync politically with the views of their membership. I was a union member, and they sold us out. They had no teeth. We actually took a pay cut. Never got a lunch, either.

So, don't tell me that I don't know, because I do. I was in one. Their attitude was that the rank and file were too stupid to make their own decisions about wages and working conditions. And too stupid to survive on their own, without the union there to "look after" them.

Don't buy into it. You may think you want a union, but you don't. What you do want is to own your own business and have a relationship of equals with the business clients you've got. Unions are for employees. Being an employee is a nurses worst mistake.

I set my own terms and wages, and my boss is me. I am compensated well. I have a SEP-IRA that my company that I own matches my contributions to.

You want what I have. Stop missing out on this,

Here is an intersting site. http://www.mash406nmhnurses.com/

Check out the first page you come to. The strike is in Petosky MI and the UNION is closing their headquarters there. They are leaving the very nurses who have been on strike there for 1003 days as of 23 Feb 2006.

Wow how supportive is that?

Also, please read The issues. The union nurses and the hospital disagree by ONE % point.

Over three years and counting without a resolution..

And why pray tell is the UNION against the Compact Licensure?

Is it becasue they don't really want to solve their short staffing issues by allowing other nurses to easily enter their state to work or they don't want their disillusioned nurses leaving for other states?

NO UNION IS A GOOD UNION

Please read "the rest of the story" Not propaganda.

[fergus51]

So they can be shop steward and push it on other nurses..

NO UNION IS A GOOD UNION

I've never been a shop steward.

[fergus51]

if management won't talk or negotiate with you, then LEAVE. Someone else could use your time and talents, and will pay you more. You don't owe THEM anything. So why let them take advantage of you like that?

You obviously don't know me:lol2: . I don't let management take advantage of me. If changes need to be made and can be made, I will try to make them before I toss up my hands and leave. That's what's best for me and best for my colleagues and best for my patients. If I left every job that wasn't perfect, I'd never work. If the changes can't be made, I do leave (like I left my non-union job years ago without any regrets!!!). I've lived and worked in BC, Ontario, Washington State and California. I'm very happy at my unionized hospital.