cincinnati-based catholic healthcare partners, which operates health-care facilities in ohio, indiana, kentucky, pennsylvania and tennessee, reached an agreement with the union to allow votes this months at its hospitals in cincinnati, springfield and lima, ohio, according to a report in the lima news....
"there will be absolutely no campaigning by either side. the letter that went out to employees on friday was a joint letter signed by both parties. and the primary focuses from our side in doing this are, no. 1, our employees will have a chance to voice their opinions on whether or not they want to join a union. and two, the 'no campaigning by either side' makes sure that patient care is not compromised in any way as we participate in this election," he said.
a spokeswoman for seiu district 1199 said the voting will take place among six working groups in each hospital - registered nurses, professionals, technical staff, clerical staff, maintenance workers and support workers. each will vote separately on whether or not to join the union.
i hope i did this right, but i was looking up online about how the CNA has worked out for Chicago RNs and found this. yikes.
Take a few minutes (if you're a fast reader!) and see all the good things NNOC has done in Illinois for the nurses and for the community. http://www.calnurses.org/nnoc/illinois/
This is NOT an SEIU CNA debate! Rather, it is about fighting the return of the "company union" and a violation of workers rights.
Perhaps we should delve a little more into the method that this election was obtained and debate if it is a good or bad thing for workers in this country.
As an SEIU-represented nurse from OH, employed by CHP, AND a member of ONA, I think that I possess an accurate perception of both CHP and SEIU. I'm also very active in OUR union---yes, OUR union, because regardless of who represents you, you are still your union. It's up to you to know your contract and hold your employer accountable. CHP was a formidable opponent when we worked hard to organize over 10 years ago. ONA did not meet the challenge, despite our contacting them first. CHP fought with union busters, ULP's (hundreds!! What did they have to lose?) attempted persuasion....I could go on and on. That's hardly the atmosphere to establish 'back door deals', as CNA purports. SEIU worked diligently to research CHP and it's 'not for profit' status. SEIU is a social organization---they work to improve their workers' lives and those of the citizens we serve. I'm proud to be one of their number--I have seen how a contract has improved our working conditions, and it's my hope that other CHP employees (and not just RN's---even tho' I'm an RN, I want my co-workers to have equal representation!) are soon afforded the same opportunities we've worked so hard for.... I find CNA's actions to be irresponsible and cavalier-it's deplorable. We should ALL be working to improve staffing and education and healthcare....not wasting time and resources fighting professional to professional. They need to stay in California.
I HAVE read the information from ONA. I support the work that they do in the legislative and educational arenas. However, in two separate incidences, my co-workers and I had sought the assistance of ONA to organize and were left woefully disappointed. SEIU came in after those experiences and showed us how to organize ourselves. They educated us in the process--how to conduct ourselves professionally during that process. SEIU met our needs. ONA did not. That's not just rhetoric--it's my personal experience with both organizations--as a member in both organizations. Theory vs. reality--something bedside nurses deal with as part of our daily lives.
I believe it. I tried to organize whith them too. This was before NNOC was in Ohio. I do not criticize the effective SEIU bargaining units, but rather the recent methods and tactics that they are utilizing to contracts.
It is never good for the few to determine the will of the many as was the case at CHP hospitals involved in this recent election. This is the fundamental principal of democracy.
It is unfortunate that there was not enough unity at those hospitals for one or both of the following 2 things to happen:
a. Workers unite to protest the presence of NNOC because in fact there was a strong democratic organizational base
b. Workers unite to protest an election where the employers and a select few workers will was imposed upon them.
The lack of demonstration of an organizational base accompanied with an employer filed election is the reason that NNOC, NYSNA and ONA opposed this election.
It was NOT an anti SEIU demonstration but rather a demonstration against the dangerous procedure followed.
There is evidence all over this blog of nurses at CHP who protested the presence of the CNA and fought (and are still fighting) to unite as SEIU members.
Since when should nurses have to fight against disruptive tactics and misleading information in order to form a union? Shouldn't it be nurses' own choice? It seems like some of us are trying to rationalize the NNOC/CNA's union busting here.
BTW, the above post is an implicit admission that the CNA/NNOC's tactics in this case were union busting.
I just feel that every nurse and health care worker in this country should have the ability to join a union and gain a voice. The health care industry is being squeezed from all sides and we need to be able to protect our patients and ourselves. CNA is a california union. They were able to get an agreemnet with SEIU to stop the SEIU RN local from organizing in California. Still with a free hand to organize there are 100,000 RN's in california without a union and VOICE IN PATIENT CARE. They are using dues paid by RN's in California to go out to every other state and disprute any election that they can't win. Are they really about fighting for nurses. If they are an all nurse professional organization why is it that there Executive Director is not an RN?
If so many CHP RNs really wanted SEIU to represent them why did not they not sign the cards and file for an election? Seems to me that there is something so wrong about an employer picking a 'union" for its employers. If they have already made agreements with management how could they fight for the RNs and other employees around their issues and concerns. So the RNs will pay dues for nothing, that leaves them worse off than if they didn't have a union at all. CNA which was the union for RNs at my hospital has done so much for Nursing and patients, legislation like the RN to patient ratios, model contracts, negotiated by the RNs, that have improved retirement, and wages that and benefits that make nursing a viable profession. In contrast Seiu represented many of the workers in the hospital and they are not happy, their contract is decided by Seiu, not the workers, their dues are higher than the RNs and nobody is fighting for them as their working conditions are assaulted. The RNs at my hospital are supported and empowered and we are stronger from having what is arguably the the most impressive and ethical union in the country. Barbikins RN
If so many CHP RNs really wanted SEIU to represent them why did not they not sign the cards and file for an election? Seems to me that there is something so wrong about an employer picking a 'union" for its employers. If they have already made agreements with management how could they fight for the RNs and other employees around their issues and concerns? So the RNs will pay dues for nothing, that leaves them worse off than if they didn't have a union at all. CNA which was the union for RNs at my hospital has done so much for Nursing and patients, legislation like the RN to patient ratios, model contracts, negotiated by the RNs, that have improved retirement, and wages and benefits that make nursing a viable profession. In contrast Seiu represented many of the workers in the hospital and they are not happy, their contract is decided by Seiu, not the workers, their dues are higher than the RNs and nobody is fighting for them as their working conditions are assaulted. The RNs at my hospital are supported and empowered and we are stronger from having what is arguably the the most impressive and ethical union in the country. Barbikins RN
Ludlow
109 Posts
Take a few minutes (if you're a fast reader!) and see all the good things NNOC has done in Illinois for the nurses and for the community. http://www.calnurses.org/nnoc/illinois/