Scab nursing?

[Emergent]

What do you think of crossing a picket line as an agency nurse? The facility would be suffering financially by paying an arm and a leg for staff, instead of negotiating a compromise. Are the nurses who do this traitors to their colleagues, or are they merely profiting from the facility's stubbornness and contributing to their capitulation?

I can see both sides. Ultimately, the facility can't keep paying the exorbitant rates they do to bring in outside staff, so it seems like it could be okay. What say you all?

[rzyzzy]

On 1/20/2020 at 8:49 PM, Emergent said:

I can see both sides. Ultimately, the facility can't keep paying the exorbitant rates they do to bring in outside staff, so it seems like it could be okay. What say you all?

Actually, management’s willingness to bring in scabs at an excessive cost is proof that there’s more money available - and they’d prefer to divide it up amongst themselves - rather than share with those who actually provide the services.

I’m quite prepared to get lambasted for this, but unions (and strikes, if necessary) are good for companies. There needs to be balance in a free-market economy, and employees who have a voice and an opportunity to change management’s mind don’t have to quit to get heard. Employees who quit cost a lot of money and time to replace.

[UrbanHealthRN, BSN, RN]

We're worried about the safety of patients and cost of agency nurses during a nursing strike? How about the ongoing lack of safe staffing, inadequate supplies, etc. that led to the strike in the first place? 5 days of strike vs. years of the hospital breaking contract and endangering patients on a daily basis. I definitely know which side of the line I stand on.

(I work in the northeast where there have been many nursing strikes since I started in the profession 10 years ago. Some of those strikes were for myself and my colleagues. This topic can get a little personal for me.)

[FloForLyfe, BSN, CNA, RN]

I had a family member in the ICU during a nurses' strike. As a family member I found it scary to see the nurses standing outside with signs. My mom elected to move our family member to another hospital.

[HappyCCRN1, BSN]

Without “scab” nurses, what would happen? Hospitals lose their negotiating power with the nursing unions. Unions could then become overly demanding and have the upper hand in every negotiating situation. Not saying that it’s not a bad thing (for nurses, anyway), but potential is there for it to snowball and become abused. Seems like scabs offer somewhat of a balance.

[TriciaJ, RN]

1 hour ago, HappyCCRN1 said:

Without “scab” nurses, what would happen? Hospitals lose their negotiating power with the nursing unions. Unions could then become overly demanding and have the upper hand in every negotiating situation. Not saying that it’s not a bad thing (for nurses, anyway), but potential is there for it to snowball and become abused. Seems like scabs offer somewhat of a balance.

No, they don't offer a balance. They tip the balance away from negotiating in good faith and maintaining patient safety. NO ONE wants a strike. The hospital has immense bargaining power during contract negotiation time. When they abuse that power and absolutely refuse to consider crucial patient safety issues, and when this happens over years of bargaining sessions, then it's time for nurses to vote with their feet.

I don't know any nurse who takes this lightly and is willing to walk out over trivialities. Nurses lose pay during a strike and it takes time to catch up financially. They have to prepare for a strike by negotiating with their creditors and try to line up per diem work elsewhere. Going out on strike is used as a last resort. Undermining your own profession for a fast buck is a very low-class thing to do.

[MunoRN, RN]

Without "scab" nurses union nurses can't legally go on strike.

I know of no states where nursing unions can legally strike without first provided sufficient notification to the hospital to allow them to arrange for replacement staff.

[TriciaJ, RN]

1 hour ago, MunoRN said:

Without "scab" nurses union nurses can't legally go on strike.

I know of no states where nursing unions can legally strike without first provided sufficient notification to the hospital to allow them to arrange for replacement staff.

The whole point isn't the fun of going on strike. It's to force the hospital to negotiate in good faith and address concerns. Nurses want to avoid a strike at least as much as any hospital does.

Here's another tidbit: The bargaining committee on management side attends the sessions during their work day and it is paid time for them to bargain. The bargaining committee on the union side is usually nurse volunteers who have to burn up their PTO to attend bargaining sessions. So all admin has to do is stall and stonewall until the union members run out of steam (and PTO and money).

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

I am pro-union, but I voted yes because patients need nurses, and I figured it hurts the hospital to have to pay travelers wages.

But on second thought, I wish I could change my vote. I have learned a lot from the discussion, and it seems likely that scabs do hurt the striking union.

One of the best topics we've had recently.

[MunoRN, RN]

9 minutes ago, TriciaJ said:

The whole point isn't the fun of going on strike. It's to force the hospital to negotiate in good faith and address concerns. Nurses want to avoid a strike at least as much as any hospital does.

Here's another tidbit: The bargaining committee on management side attends the sessions during their work day and it is paid time for them to bargain. The bargaining committee on the union side is usually nurse volunteers who have to burn up their PTO to attend bargaining sessions. So all admin has to do is stall and stonewall until the union members run out of steam (and PTO and money).

I agree that the point is the threat of a strike more than it is the strike itself, but if the nurses threatening to strike are opposed to "scab" nurses working for the hospital then there is no threat of a strike since they can't strike without using "scab" nurses (and the hospital knows that).

My union also solicits PTO from union members to compensate the nurses on the negotiations committee, despite the fact that we pay the union about $3 million per contract negotiation for the sole purpose of negotiating the contract.

[TriciaJ, RN]

55 minutes ago, MunoRN said:

My union also solicits PTO from union members to compensate the nurses on the negotiations committee, despite the fact that we pay the union about $3 million per contract negotiation for the sole purpose of negotiating the contract.

That is pitiful. Some unions are definitely better than others. Your union needs to open the books and show you where your dues are going.

[HappyCCRN1, BSN]

7 hours ago, TriciaJ said:

NO ONE wants a strike.

The hospital has immense bargaining power during contract negotiation time.

I don't know any nurse who takes this lightly and is willing to walk out over trivialities.

Going out on strike is used as a last resort.

Undermining your own profession for a fast buck is a very low-class thing to do.

I agree with all of these points. I am just offering a different perspective. Without scabs, the hospital can’t negotiate and the union gets what they want. I don’t at all believe they are asking for trivial things. However, I see potential for abuse from that side of the table in a world without nurses willing to walk across the line. That is all.

[TriciaJ, RN]

30 minutes ago, HappyCCRN1 said:

I agree with all of these points. I am just offering a different perspective. Without scabs, the hospital can’t negotiate and the union gets what they want. I don’t at all believe they are asking for trivial things. However, I see potential for abuse from that side of the table in a world without nurses willing to walk across the line. That is all.

Contract negotiations begin months before the contract expires. That is the time for the hospital to negotiate and they don't need scabs to do it because everyone is still working. It's called bargaining in good faith.

Waiting until staff are frustrated enough to walk out is just pushing the limit. The negotiation ship has sailed. Scabs are just undermining the efforts of their own profession. In no way do they serve a noble purpose. If scab labour wasn't available, the hospital would be a bit more proactive at settling a contract.

I've been around for a lot of contract negotiations; I know how ruthless and cut-throat hospitals can be.