Teachers and Nurses create the big one...

[Mindful, RN]

American Federation of Teachers [ 1.5 million members ] and National Federation of Nurses [ 34,000 members ] in 5 northerner states come together... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/american-federation-of-teachers-nurses-union_n_2685298.html?view=print&comm_ref=false

[Overland1, RN]

This will only be successful if the combined union can achieve what our superiors in France have accomplished:

PARIS (Reuters) - The CEO of a U.S. tire maker has delivered a crushing summary of how some outsiders view France's work ethic in a letter saying he would have to be stupid to take over a factory whose staff only put in three hours work a day.

Titan International's Maurice Taylor, nicknamed "The Grizz" for his negotiating style, told the left-wing French industry minister in a letter published by media on Wednesday that he had no interest in rescuing a plant set for closure.

"The French workforce gets paid high wages but works only three hours. They get one hour for breaks and lunch, talk for three and work for three," Taylor wrote on February 8 in the letter in English to the minister, Arnaud Montebourg.

"I told this to the French union workers to their faces. They told me that's the French way!" Taylor added in the letter, which was posted by business daily Les Echos on its website and which the ministry confirmed was genuine.

Hey, this came from the world's foremost news source, so it has to be true.

It could be given a catchy name (i.e., "The 1-3-3 Plan") or maybe even a cutesy name (i.e., "Arnaud's Law"), virtually guaranteeing success.

[Music in My Heart]

It's hard to picture how this benefits the nurses who will be only 2% of the union membership. Nurses and teachers have very different needs in collective bargaining representation and the nurses should not expect attention from the union in excess of their proportion of its membership.

[Overland1, RN]

It's hard to picture how this benefits the nurses who will be only 2% of the union membership. Nurses and teachers have very different needs in collective bargaining representation and the nurses should not expect attention from the union in excess of their proportion of its membership.

Two percent is still more money that the union did not have before the "big one" was created.

This will be a "big one", alright.

[zombienurse13]

I worked in a Hospital with a Union...Union's have no place in the Healthcare system period! They help lazy people keep their jobs, and make them have VERY negative attitudes. I will never work in a facility with a union again, it was the worst.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

That is fine, it will a place for a person who values the protection. Oft employers use the union excuse to not fire problem employees. Build a good case and they will be gone.

I worked in a Hospital with a Union...Union's have no place in the Healthcare system period! They help lazy people keep their jobs, and make them have VERY negative attitudes. I will never work in a facility with a union again, it was the worst.

[Music in My Heart]

I worked in a Hospital with a Union...Union's have no place in the Healthcare system period! They help lazy people keep their jobs, and make them have VERY negative attitudes. I will never work in a facility with a union again, it was the worst.

Unions definitely have a place in healthcare, just as they do in all other vocations.

I work in a unionized hospital and it's very different than the experience that you describe... very professional and very hardworking staff.

The union doesn't guarantee my job, it guarantees codification of the terms of my employment and due process.

[tewdles, RN]

Unions have a place in any employment situation where the employer is not responsive to the needs and well being of the staff. Not all employers are bad and thus, not all work environments benefit from union rep.

[zombienurse13]

Again the Union has no place in a Hospital.

[Kaci82]

Again the Union has no place in a Hospital.

That is your opinion-not a fact. In my opinion, nurses overall are way too overworked, underpaid and disrespected. At least my hospital's union looks out for us nurses. And no, I'm not lazy and negative. I work my tail off as do my fellow union co-workers.

[HardworkeRN1234]

I'm a union member in a rehab/LTC facility. Nobody wanted to join until they suddenly fired our nurse manager (despite a clean survey by the DOH) and hired a new nurse manager with a reputation for 'clearing house' and bringing in her own people, which she has done whenever possible. Yup, glad to be in the union now :-)

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Unions have a place in any employment situation where the employer is not responsive to the needs and well being of the staff. Not all employers are bad and thus not all work environments benefit from union rep.[/quote']

^This!!! I concur. :)

We also have to remember how unions helped shaped how we have set hours...we can't just work ourselves to death, no matter if some facilities out there try to.

Even if unions are not in every facility, I hope they can move to be a support and a resource for adequate wages, wage increases, cost of living better work conditions, deterrent for workplace violence, discrimination, making work conditions favorable so we there is an opportunity to be able to enjoy the workplace, thus more career enjoyment and less burnout.; as well as improve work-life balance.

I work somewhere where there is a union. While I'm not a part of it because it is not offered to nurses because of the way our organization classifies us (since we have the ability to be a supervisor) we still have excellent benefits, flexibility, etc. The benefits are pretty lateral across the board. The atmosphere is one of the best I worked in my career.