SEIU Vote at Ohio Catholic Healthcare Partners

barbikins · Mar 17, 2008

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

RNadvocate · Mar 17, 2008

CNA did not respect nurses' intelligence or decision making ability. if CHP RNs thought it was a bad deal all they would have to do was vote no.

http://supportohiocaregivers.wordpress.com/

pvhEDRn · Mar 17, 2008

That is not true. We are currently negotiating a contract. Our bargaining team is made up of 15 registered nurses. We are writing our proposals and we will vote as a team to decide what is put across the table. When it is finished every RN in the hospitals will get a vote to accept or reject the contract. That doesn't sound like back door bargaining to me.

As far as dues go our dues are lower than our SEIU partners in the hospital. We are stronger because we all SEIU. That is because RN salaries are generally higher. I don't see it as a bad thing that we have a lower dues structure. CNA is taking dues from it's members and going out of state to disrupt organizing while 100,000 RN's in California still have no union. Why is that? They have had a free hand to organize without the SEIU RN union opposing them for 3 years now.

To set the record straight both SEIU and CNA fought to get the ratios pasted in California. Then CNA claimed we wanted LVN's in the ratios as though that is somehow offensive to nursing. The true is Calfornia law already allowed for LVN's in the staffing mix. This is not something SEIU pushed for.

We have great contracts that provide free health care, retirement health, competitive salaries and committees to address staffing and other patient care issues in our hospitals.

Managment recently had to completely close one of our hospitals for 2 weeks. We negotiated will them. The hospital was closed and reopened with a nurse lossing a dime unless they elected to take the time off. That's real representation.

CNA is free to organize. But they shouldn't prevent nurses who choose not join them from having any union.

HobbesRN · Mar 17, 2008

You don't have to sign cards to have an election. CHP did not 'pick' SEIU--SEIU campaigned to have a union election for the CHP employees. I'm sure CNA/NNOC would have JUMPED at the opportunity to have elections like this!

justice4peace · Mar 20, 2008

Everyone needs to step back and take a deep breath. The National Nurses Organizing Committee/Ohio Chapter (who is a part of the CNA) asked for help to expose the backroom dealings between CHP and the SEIU. As a nurse with almost 20 years of experience I implore you to ask yourself this question: Is the hospital fighting against its employees from forming a union? If the answer is NO then one must ask WHY NOT since they have done so EVERY other time in the history of nurses trying to unionize...we certainly don't need the fox to guard the henhouse.

RN Power Ohio · Mar 20, 2008

An article from an Ohio nurse in the Springfield paper:

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/o/content/oh/story/opinions/editorial/2008/03/18/sns031808edityourturnnurses.html

Organize1199 · Mar 20, 2008

justice4peace,

1. Nobody - not a single worker in the state of Ohio - has ever organized with the California Nurses Association. I don't know if "NNOC/Ohio" is an organization, but it's not a union. CNA's "back room" was invented out of whole cloth by the CNA, complete with a goofy-looking stock photograph.

2. If you take a moment to read the newspaper articles and the letters from CHP workers - and if you take the time to hear the voices of the profoundly courageous women and men who have been organizing to change their hospitals and their lives - it's been a three-year struggle, getting to this point.

Of all the falsehoods CNA invented (and continues to perpetuate) in their attack on Ohio nurses, this is the most reprehensible. To tell workers that have not struggled, that they do not deserve what they won - it is insulting and it is false.

IN SOLIDARITY

HobbesRN · Mar 20, 2008

THAT is a letter to the editor by a member of CNA--totally biased and a misrepresentation of facts.

BTW, there were NO CARDS signed by CHP nurses to have CNA/NNOC represent them--they only needed ONE card to have their 'union' on the ballot.

HobbesRN · Mar 20, 2008

An article from an Ohio nurse in the Springfield paper:
http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/o/content/oh/story/opinions/editorial/2008/03/18/sns031808edityourturnnurses.html

This is a letter to the editor--and, the 'Ohio nurse' is a member of NNOC/CNA. It is a totally biased misrepresentation of the facts.

barbikins · Mar 20, 2008

RNs decision making skills are proven every day at the bedside. CNA/NNOC is an organization that is run by bedside RNs who have to make educated decisions as to how to protect and advance our profession. As we all know, you need information in order to make a decision. SEIU underestimated RNs by assuming that they wouldn't be insulted by a deal made behind their backs that prevents them from getting information about what they are supposed to be voting on. We didn't sign an agreement with management placing a gag order on ourselves, so we were free to hand out information, which we did. SEIU claims that the conditions for an election were "poisoned" since RNs received information. As a nurse, I am insulted by this. RNs are intelligent and can receive information from both sides and make an educated decision. I whole heartedly agree with the sentiment that if nurses thought that it was a bad deal they could have just voted no. By providing information, we did not prevent an election -- SEIU would have to answer to that , since they called off the election. CNA/NNOC is a national association and this came about because of the work that CNA was doing for nurses and patients in California, Nurses across the country wanted what California had and so the NNOC was born. It was developed by the board with the approval of the membership, we all believe that nurses everywhere need support and union that fights for them and helps them fight for their patients not the hospitals bottom line. Barbikins RN

barbikins · Mar 20, 2008

RNs decision making skills are proven every day at the bedside. CNA/NNOC is an organization that is run by bedside RNs who have to make educated decisions as to how to protect and advance our profession. As we all know, you need information in order to make a decision. SEIU underestimated RNs by assuming that they wouldn't be insulted by a deal made behind their backs that prevents them from getting information about what they are supposed to be voting on. We didn't sign an agreement with management placing a gag order on ourselves, so we were free to hand out information, which we did. SEIU claims that the conditions for an election were "poisoned" since RNs received information. As a nurse, I am insulted by this. RNs are intelligent and can receive information from both sides and make an educated decision. I whole heartedly agree with the sentiment that if nurses thought that it was a bad deal they could have just voted no. By providing information, we did not prevent an election -- SEIU would have to answer to that , since they called off the election. Nurses need a union. one that guarantees them a voce and stands for their rights and patient care not the industry (hospital's) bottom line. It is inherent in the meaning of a union they cannot be chosen by management for the nurses but by the nurses themselves.

HobbesRN · Mar 20, 2008

RNs decision making skills are proven every day at the bedside. CNA/NNOC is an organization that is run by bedside RNs who have to make educated decisions as to how to protect and advance our profession. As we all know, you need information in order to make a decision. SEIU underestimated RNs by assuming that they wouldn't be insulted by a deal made behind their backs that prevents them from getting information about what they are supposed to be voting on. We didn't sign an agreement with management placing a gag order on ourselves, so we were free to hand out information, which we did. SEIU claims that the conditions for an election were "poisoned" since RNs received information. As a nurse, I am insulted by this. RNs are intelligent and can receive information from both sides and make an educated decision. I whole heartedly agree with the sentiment that if nurses thought that it was a bad deal they could have just voted no. By providing information, we did not prevent an election -- SEIU would have to answer to that , since they called off the election. CNA/NNOC is a national association and this came about because of the work that CNA was doing for nurses and patients in California, Nurses across the country wanted what California had and so the NNOC was born. It was developed by the board with the approval of the membership, we all believe that nurses everywhere need support and union that fights for them and helps them fight for their patients not the hospitals bottom line. Barbikins RN

On the contrary---CNA/NNOC is NOT run by bedside RN's. Rose DiMoro (sp?) is NOT a nurse. She was NOT elected by the rank and file--but, rather, she was a grocery clerk or bagger who worked her way up through the labor movement and was APPOINTED to her position.

The purpose of this method of union elections was NOT to force information onto the employees--RN's included. That gets so ugly. Rather, the employees were given two toll-free numbers--one for the union and one for management--that they could call and get the information they needed to make an INTELLIGENT decision on their own. What CNA did was disrupt that legal process.

There is no excuse--only justifications and rationalizations.