RNs demanded a unified voice

Clove Lakes RNs Elect NYSNA

STATEN ISLAND, NYC - Jan. 30, 2003 - Seeking a solution to the problems that were causing insufficient staffing, registered nurses at Clove Lakes Health Care and Rehabilitation Center last night elected the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) their collective bargaining representative.

"This victory gives the Clove Lakes nurses a unified voice to address workplace issues and the support of a union that represents 35,000 RNs throughout New York," said NYSNA organizer Jacqueline Cataldo. "These nurses sought the help of a labor union because so much more can be accomplished by working together."

NYSNA has improved working conditions for nurses throughout the state and has helped nurses earn competitive salaries that reflect the importance and difficulty of the work they do. It has provided nurses with the job security they deserve and won some of the best benefit packages in the nation. All of these factors are important when a facility is trying to recruit nurses and encourage them to stay on staff.

An election became necessary because hospital management last month refused the nurses' request to voluntarily recognize NYSNA as their representative. It then failed to respond to the union's request to hold a free and fair campaign.

For the past several weeks, management conducted an aggressive anti-union drive - trying to intimidate the nurses to vote against NYSNA by forcing them attend intensive, one-on-one meetings during which they were given misleading information about NYSNA and the collective-bargaining process.

"This tactic failed because the nurses saw through all the lies," Cataldo said. "It's been established that the nurses here want a union. With the center reporting an $8-million profit last year, we hope that management will commit to working with us on a fair contract."

NYSNA is the professional association for registered nurses in New York with more than 34,000 members statewide. A multipurpose organization, NYSNA fosters high standards of nursing education and practice and works to advance the profession through legislative activity and collective bargaining. NYSNA is a constituent of the American Nurses Association (ANA) and its labor arm, the United American Nurses (UAN), which is an affiliate of the AFL-CIO.

http://www.NYSNA.org

[oramar]

There is something about this article that puts a smile on my face. It is nice to know that somewhere there are nurses that refused to be bambooozeled.

[Stargazer]

Originally posted by -jt

For the past several weeks, management conducted an aggressive anti-union drive - trying to intimidate the nurses to vote against NYSNA by forcing them attend intensive, one-on-one meetings during which they were given misleading information about NYSNA and the collective-bargaining process.

I am absolutely and utterly gobsmacked by the level of sleaziness exhibited here. And wondering if it wasn't precisely this behavior which drove the Clove Lake nurses into unionizing. Good for them.

[-jt]

I dont think it drove them into unionizing. The nurses were already well into the process before the administration started this typical BS. When it realized the nurses meant business & were well on the way to being a union, thats when administration geared up the intimidation tactics to try to stop them. For some reason fear tactics dont usually work on NYers. Rather than make them fall apart, all it did was make the nurses even more determined & united to complete the process. It should work like that with nurses everywhere else :)

Congrats to these nurses. That was one of the last non-union facilities left in this borough.

[2banurse]

Originally posted by -jt

For some reason fear tactics dont usually work on NYers. Rather than make them fall apart, all it did was make the nurses even more determined & united to complete the process. It should work like that with nurses everywhere else :)

Congrats to these nurses. That was one of the last non-union facilities left in this borough.

So TRUE!!! While I am living in Florida now (temporary), my heart and soul are still part of NY.

thanks -jt for providing these tidbits!

Kris