I'll admit it. I'm not a nurse. I did want to be a nurse at one time, but now Im going the RT route. I researched nursing for a long time before making the decision NOT to become one. Considering the fact that most of you complain (on here at least) of not getting fair treatment, of getting cursed out by doctors/patients, of being overstressed, overworked and not getting they pay you feel you deserve, why oh why won't you join a union? Why do you come here to vent about administration or policies when it doesn't have to be that way? I want to know what makes you feel that you don't deserve to be heard.
Iron workers have a union, boiler-makers have a union, auto workers have a union. Not to sound holier-than-thou-, but most RN have more education than those that I've previously mentioned. So, why is it that you refuse to unite, and stand against a system that seems to disrespect you? I have to know.
federal employees who by choosing to work for a government entity in a security environment have chosen to give up certain rights during their period of service. that group should be treated like the military (as should ICE and Border Patrol), or do you think unionizing the Marine Corps is a good idea too?
I can think of a variety of reasons that homeland security agencies should be allowed to be organized. Chief among them is that they are civilian agencies NOT uniformed services. The Posse Comitatus act essentially forbids using the armed forces as law enforcement with the narrowly drawn exceptions of the Coast and National Guards. (FWIW military members have huge due process protections as a matter of right. Plus each member is enlisted under a legally binding contract between the member and the government. The US military is the worlds first functional socialism.)
"Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration."
Abraham Lincoln (Thanks to RN4Mercy for the quote!)
- Seniority blows: When it comes to getting the best positions, shifts, and vacation time, time in service should have no bearing.
- My union dues do what, exactly? No choice, no thanks.
- I can stand up for myself. If I screw up and get an ass chewing by some doc and/or patient, I'll take my licks... I have a thick skin, something I think relatively few nurses have. However, if I don't screw up and get an ass chewing just for doing my job, you can bet that doctor and patient will get an attitude adjustment followed by a formal complaint to the hospital administration. If you haven't practiced your, "excuse me and with all due respect doctor..." speech, that's your fault.
- As mentioned, unions are for the trades, not professionals. The AMA and ABA are NOT unions, they are associations. If these associations told their members to go on strike, they'd get laughed into oblivion. Do these associations provide a retirement to their members?
I have no issues with the AMA, ABA or groups like them, but I choose to take responsibility for my own career choices. If I don't think I'm being treated fairly, I'll address it, rectify it, or find another job. If I don't think I'm being paid enough, I'll go find another job. Compared to other lines of work, RNs probably have the largest number of career opportunities within a profession.
I believe if we're going to elevate how the public views RNs and the work we do, we need to be professionals and act like one. When was the last time you heard a doc whine about being treated unfairly, overwhelming paperwork, or having to see 40 patients in one day? I've heard them talk about it, but never whine.
Wow, I could have used your support in another thread about unions last week.. I agree with you 100%! I was beginning to think I was the only nurse in the world against working in union hospitals. I agree, there are no victims.. only nurses who want others to fight for them. I'd rather fight my own battles any day of the week!
I want my employer to step all over me with impunity.
I want to go back to being a slave even though half a million peeps died to stop it.
I listen to Republicans and spout off quick facts from websites that pander to the rich but are used to fool uneducated lower to middle class people.
I can't think for myself, obviously the Party that is the most religious and hates the hippies, democrats, liberals and terrorists really loves my poor self. Even though I am not rich...
When I become a RN 20$ /hr is better than 60$ /hr because we don't do this for the money.... yeah... right...
Because I want to be a professional and they don't whine.... except professional actors, entertainers, sports figures, doctors, lawyers and politicians and every other professional.
I support rich people. We should leave them alone.... with their billions of dollars. It's ok, we'll pay down the national debt.
Lastly, I like being in one of the last industries NOT made better by unions.
I want my employer to step all over me with impunity.
I want to go back to being a slave even though half a million peeps died to stop it.
I listen to Republicans and spout off quick facts from websites that pander to the rich but are used to fool uneducated lower to middle class people.
I can't think for myself, obviously the Party that is the most religious and hates the hippies, democrats, liberals and terrorists really loves my poor self. Even though I am not rich...
When I become a RN 20$ /hr is better than 60$ /hr because we don't do this for the money.... yeah... right...
Because I want to be a professional and they don't whine.... except professional actors, entertainers, sports figures, doctors, lawyers and politicians and every other professional.
I support rich people. We should leave them alone.... with their billions of dollars. It's ok, we'll pay down the national debt.
Lastly, I like being in one of the last industries NOT made better by unions.
Man, you're a tool. You're truly a credit to the working class and one of the main reasons I won't work where being a union member is required.
The simple reality is that Union hospitals tend to deliver higher quality care.
The Buffalo MN nurses joined MNA because they could see how much better their nursing peers in the Allina system did after they organized.
Perhaps, but that's a very generalized statement to make considering that joining a union is a uniquely personal decision. And I don't know anyone who would join a nurses union just because they tend to deliver better care.
oh, and I'll put my hospital's numbers up against any union shop.
Man, you're a tool. You're truly a credit to the working class and one of the main reasons I won't work where being a union member is required.
Only when union tools cherry pick arguments ad nauseam.
Diver, what I don't understand is why you have such scorn for those of us who believe that collective bargaining is in our best interests. I understand that you don't agree for yourself and that's fine by me. Why can it not be equally fine by you if some of us choose a different path?
If you're about to respond and say that it is fine then why can't you lose the scorn and just respectfully disagree?
I don't want to speak for diveRN . . however, I think the post below is pretty silly.
Just because I don't want to join a union . . does not mean I want to do all the things posted below.
So, Stanley is being a bit . . . . . . scornful too.
steph
I won't join a union because:
I want to make substandard wages my entire life.
I want my employer to step all over me with impunity.
I want to go back to being a slave even though half a million peeps died to stop it.
I listen to Republicans and spout off quick facts from websites that pander to the rich but are used to fool uneducated lower to middle class people.
I can't think for myself, obviously the Party that is the most religious and hates the hippies, democrats, liberals and terrorists really loves my poor self. Even though I am not rich...
When I become a RN 20$ /hr is better than 60$ /hr because we don't do this for the money.... yeah... right...
Because I want to be a professional and they don't whine.... except professional actors, entertainers, sports figures, doctors, lawyers and politicians and every other professional.
I support rich people. We should leave them alone.... with their billions of dollars. It's ok, we'll pay down the national debt.
Lastly, I like being in one of the last industries NOT made better by unions.
I don't want to speak for diveRN . . however, I think the post below is pretty silly.
Just because I don't want to join a union . . does not mean I want to do all the things posted below.
So, Stanley is being a bit . . . . . . scornful too.
steph
Uh, yeah, to be sure.
Of course, if you take his post at face value (which is a little difficult for me for reasons that you well understand) then he didn't really make an explicit comment about y'all on the other side of the collective bargaining debate.
The good news is that there are non-union hospitals for folks like you to work in while at the same time there are union hospitals for folks like me. The nurses at each hospital can decide for themselves if they want to have representation.
HM2VikingRN, RN
4,700 Posts