Robert Wood Johnson Univ Hospital Nurses to Strike

proud2banurse · Sep 17, 2006

To Benfanrn:

"All for one, and one for all"

Isn't that a quote from the 3 Musketeers. They were not the brightest either.

mrsmitty · Sep 17, 2006

Your committee is not beaten down. They just can't make you happy. They will recommend this offer and rightly so. It is a big step by the hospital. You are not going to get much better. You can stay out for another 3 or 4 weeks and you may not get this, but you will lose more income.

Just because you have a contract settled does not mean you can't work to make it better. In a previous post I presented a way to improve your insurance though in likely at some cost to you. But you will have a choice.

I have negotiated more contacts than your leadership has. It's best if both sides come out feeling good and that can almost always happen. The hospital is not going to give you what you are looking for. Take a stand if you think you must. If you don't know your opposition, and you don't if you think you can get this, you can not effect change.

Now you may think I'm a hospital shill. No I am not. I am the husband of a nurse at RWJ. I have more experience dealing at these matters than any of you ever will. It's what I do.

If you are smart you will accept this offer. If you don't want to go to RWJ which is one of the top 10 hospitals in the country, you can go elsewhere and pay a copay. Work on ways to make this plan better later.

For all of you on this forum, I can understand your privacy issues. But get real, being hospitalized is not a dignifying experience. Sure you don't want to be exposed in front of your co-workers, but how do you think your patients feel about being exposed in front of you.

If RWJ is the best place for me to go should I have a situation, I'm going there. I really care don't if you all want to discuss the size of my morning wood.

mekrn · Sep 17, 2006

Please do not lower yourself to vulgarity and insults. Thank you.

mrsmitty · Sep 17, 2006

I have heard enough recollections of conversations to know that this would likely be discussed. I think it is normal and I wouldn't be insuslted.

By the way, regarding unemployment compensation, the state will award this. Whether you get to keep it, or have to pay if back, is dependent on a finding of unfair labor practices. That will not likely be the case in this situation. Please do not count on keeping your unemployment.

mekrn · Sep 17, 2006

I have heard enough recollections of conversations to know that this would likely be discussed. I think it is normal and I wouldn't be insuslted.
By the way, regarding unemployment compensation, the state will award this. Whether you get to keep it, or have to pay if back, is dependent on a finding of unfair labor practices. That will not likely be the case in this situation. Please do not count on keeping your unemployment.

First of all, I have not seen anyone use vulgarity on this site, and that one reason why I like it. Secondly, when people have to start insulting others, such as "you're not too bright", its because they can't think of anything more intelligent to say.

Additionally, this may come as a shock to you, but NOT EVERYONE is so desperate after being without 1 1/2 paychecks that they need unemployment to sustain themselves or go running back with their tail between their legs.

clcrtrn · Sep 17, 2006

Certainly you are entitled to your opinion, but then say it is YOUR opinion. If you are not on the negotiating committee your statement that the committee "feels beaten" and "are hoping we vote for the contract" are out of line.
By the way, I, like you am fed up with the games, I am insulted by the presentation of the SAME contract, and I will be voting no tomorrow.:wink2:

I believe that was the purpose of my second post in response to yours. I saw the possibly confusing nature of my first post and replied that it was just that-my opinion. However, I did start the first by saying "I think..."

certainly that should imply that an opinion would follow.

I would like to clarify my statement, however. I dont think (opinion) they feel beaten, rather, I think (opinion) they feel they have gotten as much out of the hospital that they could at this juncture. A no vote would put more people in finacial difficulties and more apt to cross the line breaking the union. Beaten was an inaccurate word choice.

proud2banurse · Sep 17, 2006

HOORAY!!!

Now you're thinking!!!!

mekrn · Sep 17, 2006

I believe that was the purpose of my second post in response to yours. I saw the possibly confusing nature of my first post and replied that it was just that-my opinion. However, I did start the first by saying "I think..."
certainly that should imply that an opinion would follow.
I would like to clarify my statement, however. I dont think (opinion) they feel beaten, rather, I think (opinion) they feel they have gotten as much out of the hospital that they could at this juncture. A no vote would put more people in finacial difficulties and more apt to cross the line breaking the union. Beaten was an inaccurate word choice.

Just wondering, are you still planning to reject the contract as you stated earlier, or have you changed your mind?

tridil2000, MSN, RN · Sep 17, 2006

First of all, I have not seen anyone use vulgarity on this site, and that one reason why I like it. Secondly, when people have to start insulting others, such as "you're not too bright", its because they can't think of anything more intelligent to say.
Additionally, this may come as a shock to you, but NOT EVERYONE is so desperate after being without 1 1/2 paychecks that they need unemployment to sustain themselves or go running back with their tail between their legs.

yep!

we too have financial advisors who make sure we have a few months worth of liqued savings as well as access to our other forms of savings!

nurses are not ignorant to financial savy!

ironica01 · Sep 17, 2006

yep!
we too have financial advisors who make sure we have a few months worth of liqued savings as well as access to our other forms of savings!
nurses are not ignorant to financial savy!

I agree. I have a few months contingency plan just in case this strike goes a long time.

I just cannot imagine how angry the Filipino nurses were when they heard the VP of Nursing said '" maybe they did not understand the proposal that's why they went to strike"... and 100% of them went to the picket line. little did she know that these nurses whom she underestimated will not get affected when they lose one paycheck during the strike. I dont know any Filipino with only one job. I heard they are voting this proposal down.

ironica01 · Sep 17, 2006

I spoke to one of the Head nurses last night and told me that they would rather have us inside than the scab nurses cuz they are tired of showing them all the ropes on the floor all the time. once we voted this proposal in today, they expect us to go back on Thursday as the scab nurses' contracts are due to expire that day.

proud2banurse · Sep 17, 2006

I know many Filipinos with only one job, one of the is my own sister-in-law, so don't be so stereotypical as to make comments about one nationality.

The head nurses are not all as tired as you think of the scab nurses. I have heard on many occasions that the head nurses have been treating the scabs to food and little parties. Perhaps the ones you are talking about are tired of doing bedside nursing?

While it is true that most nurses do have contingency plans as to being able to stay out of work for a while, why would we want to?

If you are dipping into your savings, that money should have been set aside for real emergencies, not for something like a strike.

If you are working elsewhere, kuddos to you, but you are probably not making as much money as you could have at RWJ, or do not have the ease of working at your permanent job.

Whatever the outcome, hopefully things will work out for everyone.

I always enjoyed working at RWJ mostly because I felt that the nurses were of superior quality, extremely professional and well educated in their field, besides being friendly and caring. Saying that, I do feel that the RWJ nurses need to be more educated in negotiating and knowing the ins and outs of their union contract. The health insurance was not always this bad, it never should have gotten to this point had the nurses stayed on top of their benefits.

If a change to the healthcare system was made during an existing contract, that was the time that the nurses should have brought this problem to the union and and did something about it then. The union contract as written is obviously not "iron bound" if the healthcare was able to be changed from Cigna to Aetna without reprocussions.

If this change was done during the start of the last contract, how did that get by?

What I am trying to say is that all of what the nurses need in as far as health benefits must be spelled out in writing in the union contract. My last copy of the union contract says nothing about this. That is why as a RWJ nurse who does not use their health insurance, I know nothing about it.

IF the contract included all of the details AND we received a copy of this contract, all nurses would know what is going on. Especially with a system like RWJ's there should be no union rules and hospital rules, nothing that is not spelled out in the union contract. This is our protection if we were to need union representation in arbitration.

Just a thought.