To be, or not to be, that is the question.

Nurses Union

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My place of employment has a very aggressive union trying to get the workers to unionize. The mud slinging between the hospital and the union reps has become overwhelming. Its starting to look like there will be a vote on whether to unionize or not.

Im undecided on how I feel about it. I've seen unions do good, and I've seen them cause harm.

The one thing that makes me nervous is the fact that the union does not consist of just nurses. They want everyone in it. I tend to believe nursing would be better represented by a union that focuses on nursing and the complex issues nurses face.

Is that a fair assessment?

If you are union, do you feel they have improved things for you?

We all float down here.

Specializes in Pulmonary, Transplant, Travel RN.

After reading the viewpoints expressed here, I think I've come to a better understanding of the situation unfolding around me. At first, the question in my mind was whether or not unionizing was a good idea. Now, its as much about doing it right if you are going to do it at all.

I do believe a union that tries to be everything to everybody in the end becomes nothing and helps nobody. My observations at my former place of employment play a role in this belief, but they are not the sole reason I feel this way.

So, in the end, since the union in question wants to spread its focus across such a large spectrum of clients instead of focusing on nursing, they are not a good choice IMO. Whether or not I want to unionize is secondary because even if I do want to, I don't want to do it with a union that includes so many groups outside of nursing.

When the time comes to say yea or nay...............I'll be voting against unionization. Its more a case of me saying no to this specific union's way of doing things than to unionizing. Perhaps later on down the road a chance to unionize with a more focused union will present itself.

We all float down here.

Specializes in Psych , Peds ,Nicu.

Why not work to get the union you prefer , our employer had enterred an agreement with a union , we nurses looked at this decided we did not wish to join a non specific union , contacted a RN only union , they took the necessary steps to get upon an election and we voted them in.

Specializes in Pulmonary, Transplant, Travel RN.
Why not work to get the union you prefer , our employer had enterred an agreement with a union , we nurses looked at this decided we did not wish to join a non specific union , contacted a RN only union , they took the necessary steps to get upon an election and we voted them in.

That is a much better option IMO. Im not familiar with how to get the ball rolling on doing it though.

We all float down here.

Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.

make sure that you to read before you sign....aloha~

Specializes in Psych , Peds ,Nicu.

Look at the states nursing associations , to see if they do collective bargaining or look at the NNU site , which I believe has links re. organizing .

I can't swim so I don't float .

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