NEW BRUNSWICK-The Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital nurses union yesterday overwhelmingly rejected the hospital's latest labor contract offer, opening the door for a strike to begin at 7 a.m. on Aug. 24, according to union officials.
"The membership is sending a clear message to the hospital that health-care coverage is just substandard, and they won't accept it," said Jeanne Clark, a spokeswoman for the nurses union and a nurse at the hospital for 16 years. "We've got more work to do."
The nurses rejected the revised contract by a vote of 616 to 252, with one member abstaining.
The nurses rejected the hospital's original offer by a 765-165 vote on July 27.
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.
I was not making a comment or stereotyping one nationality, what I was trying to stress is that the VP for nursing put down these Filipino nurses by saying, the contract was written in English and they probably did not understand it that's why they are on strike. this comment was reported to the union membership.
I consider this strike as emergency and I'm not working another job. I've been at the picket line since day one.
Cigna was dropped by the hospital a week before the employees renewed their policy 2 years ago. Remember, we have to fill up new/renewal forms every January and that's when they offered Qualcare and Aetna.The nurses did not have a choice but to take either one because that's whats' on the table. We didn't have an issue about this healthcare until people who started utilizing it found the loopholes and problems.
Thank you for the info. about Cigna. At that time the union should have gotten involved and given a strike vote for breach of the union contract as agreed upon. They should have gone to the press then and put the hospital up against the wall.
Thank you for the info. about Cigna. At that time the union should have gotten involved and given a strike vote for breach of the union contract as agreed upon. They should have gone to the press then and put the hospital up against the wall.
yeah but that union is gone now. that's what USW replaced.
THANK YOU TO ALL ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON NURSES WHO STOOD TOGETHER AS A UNIFIED TEAM DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME! I am looking forward to our working together for many years to come. This has taught us all a valuable lesson. We were able to discuss our opinions, however they differed. We did not get everything we asked for in this contract, nor will we ever. Sometimes you have to walk before you can run. But traveling in a group is always better than alone. We will now proceed with a greater knowledge of how important it is to be not only a great nurse, but a savy business person. In the next three years we will use what we have learned to obtain the best contract for nurses. Look out RWJ administration!
WHO ARE WE?
We are the nurses. The Robert Wood Johnson Nurses.
We will walk in the door of that hospital on Thursday with no regrets, with no doubts. We will treat our fellow colleagues whether they crossed the picket line or not, as the professionals that they are.
And why is that? Because, who are we?
WE ARE THE NURSES. THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON NURSES.
THANK YOU TO ALL ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON NURSES WHO STOOD TOGETHER AS A UNIFIED TEAM DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME! I am looking forward to our working together for many years to come. This has taught us all a valuable lesson. We were able to discuss our opinions, however they differed. We did not get everything we asked for in this contract, nor will we ever. Sometimes you have to walk before you can run. But traveling in a group is always better than alone. We will now proceed with a greater knowledge of how important it is to be not only a great nurse, but a savy business person. In the next three years we will use what we have learned to obtain the best contract for nurses. Look out RWJ administration!
WHO ARE WE?
We are the nurses. The Robert Wood Johnson Nurses.
We will walk in the door of that hospital on Thursday with no regrets, with no doubts. We will treat our fellow colleagues whether they crossed the picket line or not, as the professionals that they are.
And why is that? Because, who are we?
WE ARE THE NURSES. THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON NURSES.
SWEET DREAMS!!!
This makes me proud for our profession.
I think Robert Wood Johnson will be a great hospital because of the NURSES!
Far more important than what you won is that you won and your union remains intact. This was clearly a union busting attempt. Now, get ready to go back. If anyone says anything to you like "you walked out on patients" etc. simply noted their name the date and time and immediately notify your e board of the incident. There are some simple minded people who buy all the rhetoric that administration puts out there. As tempting as it is to give it right back, don't. Remember to keep union talk out of patient care areas.
Congratulations on your solidarity during this strike. It is very impressive that so few people crossed and believe me, all of you have sent a huge message to the powers that be!!!!
there is nothing much to it. it is the same as the one we rejected. they just added the clause, if the precedures and surgeries not offered at RWJ we can go to other hospital but what could that procedure the RWj DOES NOT DO? we even do heart transplant? that means whatever it is, I still have to drive 30 miles to RWJ in new Brunswick, 45 miles to RWJ in Rahway and 55 miles to Hamilton (2 other hospitals they added in the inner circle).
I would like to see the clause added in the proposal that those nurses who took contract/assignment with agencies will be given enough time to complete their contract and not be forced to go back to work which was brought up before this negotiation.
i would mention many folks have the same difficulties about distance even without working at a particular place - here - if we wish to have a baby ( and trust me i have no idea to have another though lol) we have to drive at least 35 miles to do so because they shut down our OB due lack of use ( we do thankfully so far still have er, minor surgery and a helicopter pad to send em out when anything more harsh comes in - ) to have open heart one needs to drive even farther - cause there is approx double the miles to have a baby - i dont know exact miles but you get the picture - and even just to have a tubal i had to not drive the 35 where my doc was but the double that cause the hospital 38 miles away doesnt do them due to religious basis! i guess my point is i know its frustrating to have to go so far for care - i have to deal with ot for much of our care cause being in such a small town egypt setting we dont have the big hospitals around. perhaps they could put in a clause that you could go elsewhere - be stabilized and moved at their expense to the hospital they want you at without the extra cost - i used to like going to "my " hospital when i worked there cause i knew the folks who worked there and trusted them and i thank god they shut ob down after my last baby - so i do not understand why one does not want to be where yo know the peoples work and how they take their careers unless the docs and nurses and lab techs etc - are bad then i could see not wanting to go there - be greatly appreciated if someone could explain why you wouldn't want to go there for proper care? other than the mere convenience ( which as i stated i can understand as it is a pain to have to go so far for things as us in small towns do know well. )thanks
THANK YOU TO ALL ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON NURSES WHO STOOD TOGETHER AS A UNIFIED TEAM DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME! I am looking forward to our working together for many years to come. This has taught us all a valuable lesson. We were able to discuss our opinions, however they differed. We did not get everything we asked for in this contract, nor will we ever. Sometimes you have to walk before you can run. But traveling in a group is always better than alone. We will now proceed with a greater knowledge of how important it is to be not only a great nurse, but a savy business person. In the next three years we will use what we have learned to obtain the best contract for nurses. Look out RWJ administration!
WHO ARE WE?
We are the nurses. The Robert Wood Johnson Nurses.
We will walk in the door of that hospital on Thursday with no regrets, with no doubts. We will treat our fellow colleagues whether they crossed the picket line or not, as the professionals that they are.
And why is that? Because, who are we?
WE ARE THE NURSES. THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON NURSES.
SWEET DREAMS!!!
congratulations on the vote - i would especially like to say i am proud to say i am a nurse when i hear that everyone will go back and treat even those that crossed for whatever reason ( financial or just didn't want to strike) with the respect they deserve - THAT is truly a professional quality - you are to be congratulated. god speed and wishing you all the best
Zashagalka - Please note through other postings that there are other nurses out there that DO feel we are fighting their fight, too. We are hard-working, educated PROFESSIONALS and we are not "lucky" to get whatever multimillionaire administrators want to give us, we are entitled to and deserve excellent compensation and benefits.
Secondly, harassment and intimidation is a little more that "a letter and a phone" call. Furthermore, I'm note sure where "I admitted" that this strike was about pride because it is not. It is about violation of Federal Labor Laws, for which a complaint has been filed with the NLRB already. We are also entitled to strike under that same premise. Why are you opposed to nurses banding together and standing up for what is right? I am happy for you that you work in a facility that is shangri-la, however, most nurses that I know don't. Most nurses I know are verbally, physically, and emotionally abused on a regular basis. It is time for administrators to stop treating nurses like glorified chambermaids and treat them like the educated, highly-trained professionals that they are! I'm glad for you that you have that, too many don't.
My hat goes off for all of you Jersey nurses sticking together for whatever the cause! I am a Jerseyite currently living and nursing in Texas, I extend my apologies to you for having to entertain "Zashagalka" during your time of strike. You see, here in Texas everyone is opposed to a union, they don't even want to hear that word (union) come out of your mouth. The Veterans Hospital are the only unionized nurses that I am aware of. From what I have seen in my 6 years of nursing here is that when we complain about something, they eventually pay us more.(Kinda like payoff money) For a while it shuts us up but then we are at it again, kinda like a vicious circle. Our problems remain unsolved but they put more in our pocket, kinda like putting sandbags at the levy in Louisiana, a cheap quick fix. I wish you all the luck in your endeavors. Hang in there. I'm glad there are nurses out there fighting for our rights as hard-working professional human-beings.
My hat goes off for all of you Jersey nurses sticking together for whatever the cause! I am a Jerseyite currently living and nursing in Texas, I extend my apologies to you for having to entertain "Zashagalka" during your time of strike. You see, here in Texas everyone is opposed to a union, they don't even want to hear that word (union) come out of your mouth. The Veterans Hospital are the only unionized nurses that I am aware of. From what I have seen in my 6 years of nursing here is that when we complain about something, they eventually pay us more.(Kinda like payoff money) For a while it shuts us up but then we are at it again, kinda like a vicious circle. Our problems remain unsolved but they put more in our pocket, kinda like putting sandbags at the levy in Louisiana, a cheap quick fix. I wish you all the luck in your endeavors. Hang in there. I'm glad there are nurses out there fighting for our rights as hard-working professional human-beings.
You don't need to apologize for me. It is a discussion forum which means that issues are under discussion. I'm perfectly entitled to my opinion and postings. I debated the issues and I did so credibly.
I stated that the union would not get what it was striking for, and they didn't. They settled for the SAME offer that was made before the strike. Later in the thread, I even suggested that they NOT end the strike for the same offer, because it would undermine their efforts in future negotiations.
My issues were NOT anti-union, but rather, I debated the specific issues of the strike.
You're welcome to speak for yourself. But, don't speak for me.
ironica01
45 Posts
I was not making a comment or stereotyping one nationality, what I was trying to stress is that the VP for nursing put down these Filipino nurses by saying, the contract was written in English and they probably did not understand it that's why they are on strike. this comment was reported to the union membership.
I consider this strike as emergency and I'm not working another job. I've been at the picket line since day one.
Cigna was dropped by the hospital a week before the employees renewed their policy 2 years ago. Remember, we have to fill up new/renewal forms every January and that's when they offered Qualcare and Aetna.The nurses did not have a choice but to take either one because that's whats' on the table. We didn't have an issue about this healthcare until people who started utilizing it found the loopholes and problems.