Trying to Bust a Strike

stevierae · Jan 11, 2005

And why we flock to the North and the West....why, for the same reason that Northerners flock to Florida and Midwesterners flock to the South and the Northeast. It is new, different and interesting.

Except--in reality, that's not true. I know for you, who would not cross a strike line, it may be true. If you wanted to come for a new, different and interesting experience, you could do a travel assignment.

However, among those strike nurse Southerners (U.S. Nursing employees) that I saw at my hotel in CA back in '96--

They--when you saw them, whcih was usually only on the elevator either on their way in from work or going to work--did very little BUT work, and sleep. They were there to work as much as they could, make as much money as they could, and they did not care WHO knew it. They were quite vocal.

They did not socialize with those of us who were travelers. Some of them never went out and saw the local sights, tasted the local food, wine or microbrews, or really did ANYTHING fun. They worked, and when they were not working, they slept. Some of them were too cheap to even go out to dinner occasionally--from what I heard, they lived on leftover patients' trays, or ordered extra trays with the idea of consuming them later.

Many of them, I believe, were simply dirt poor and came from domestic violence situations, and sent every single penny home. One went home one weekend, and came back horribly bruised and battered, with her glasses warped and with one temple missing. It was very sad--we tried to help her, but she was in serious denial. She pretty much kept to herself.

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Be careful when making generalizations. When your finger points at me, there are three pointing back at you.

Jamesdotter · Jan 11, 2005

I did not say "always" late, I said greater than average.
And if you are not one of those bad attitude people, then don't worry about it. But let me assure you that there are plenty out there. And they are more plentiful in the union environment, because they cry "union" with any disciplinary action.
I have worked in 4 union facilities. These facilities had possibly the worst reputations among travel assignments that I have known...much of it due to the workers and not the management (for once!!!). After working at two of these facilities (on in Philly and one in NYC), not one traveler could be convinced to return/or renew contracts, not for any amount of money.
I got chewed out by at one by an LPN, for assisting a patient to shower on Thanksgiving so that terminally ill woman could look good for her family. It took all of 20 minutes. The LPN complained that "Her family had money and should pay for a private duty to do that, and if we do that once, everyone will expect to shower". Another nurse would walk around, giving meds with her cell phone bead in her ear, giving meds and charting while making a personal cell phone call for over 90 minutes. Another was overriding the phone and calling long distance (and ignoring the call lights) on the unit phone to order holiday presents...he was on hold for 30 minutes. And management would do nothing because of the union.
You may like to think the best of your union buddies, but some of us have seen the worst of them. And while, these are not representative of every union nurse, they were enough "bad attitude" for me to bypass union hospitals.

It's always interesting to me to see the opinion that you can't be fired from a union facility. It takes time, but it can be done. If it isn't happening, then management isn't doing its job. They need to keep careful notes as they go through the steps:

Verbal warning: (I got one of those one time--I think. I never did figure out what it was that I was being warned about. The manager needs to be clear. :) )

Written warning, detailing again the problem(s).

Work plan. What the employee is expected to do over the next (usually) 90 days, with progress reviews every 14 to 30 days. Management continues documentation, noting the employee's efforts to improve or lack of efforts to improve. One manager I knew used to keep that kind of information on an encrypted floppy in his office.

If the employee does not improve, then:

Termination, with written reasons to the employee and added to his file.

Of course, theft, fighting, or gross negligence will get the ex-employee escorted off the premises it being in that case unnecessary to go through the steps.

According to the above manager "If you keep good enough notes, you can fire God."

stevierae · Jan 11, 2005

It's always interesting to me to see the opinion that you can't be fired from a union facility. It takes time, but it can be done. If it isn't happening, then management isn't doing its job. They need to keep careful notes as they go through the steps:
Verbal warning: (I got one of those one time--I think. I never did figure out what it was that I was being warned about. The manager needs to be clear. :) )
Written warning, detailing again the problem(s).
Work plan. What the employee is expected to do over the next (usually) 90 days, with progress reviews every 14 to 30 days. Management continues documentation, noting the employee's efforts to improve or lack of efforts to improve. One manager I knew used to keep that kind of information on an encrypted floppy in his office.
If the employee does not improve, then:
Termination, with written reasons to the employee and added to his file.
Of course, theft, fighting, or gross negligence will get the ex-employee escorted off the premises it being in that case unnecessary to go through the steps.
According to the above manager "If you keep good enough notes, you can fire God."

It's true. Oregon, where Jamesdotter and I live, is a "right to work" state. if they don't like you--if you are too radical or outspoken; if you are pro-union; even if your nurse manager is conservative and you (gasp!!) have a nose ring--they will FIND a way to get rid of you.

We have 2 unions---OFN and ONA. I am only familiar with one of them--OFN. They are incredibly wishy-washy, and everyone suspects that they are sleeping with or paid off by management. One of their favorite phrases when an OFN nurse wants to file a grievance is, "We have to pick and choose our battles carefully." They were essentially useless at the OFN facility where I used to work--many people elected to opt out of their dues and contribute them to charity. There were staff RNs who SUED the union for non-representation.

No one could figure out what, exactly, we were paying union dues for. There was a time when we would get sent home early nearly every day, according to reverse seniority--we were full time employees, mind you, not per diems!--This would NEVER be allowed by CNA in CA--that's considered an "involuntary layoff" and they can be fined for doing it.

They also tried to change our pre-scheduled, permanent shifts at any whim-- and always, always there was the constant battle against them trying to enforce "mandatory overtime," and attempting to pay us less than the contract agreed for call pay. They literally thought we were too stupid to get a copy of the contract, cite it chapter and verse, and file a grievance when needed. Not that the grievances helped--somehow the union always tried to talk people out of pressing forward with them, and, intimidated, people let them die at stage one or two in the process.

I am soooooo glad that I do not have to work in Oregon as a staff nurse. Glad I live here, though--truly God's country!!

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jan 11, 2005

Stevierae:

You asked why Southern Nurses flock to California, etal. I said because it is new interesting and different. You say try a travel Nursing assignment.

I am a traveler (though will probably not take a Cali assignment for reasons detailed previously).

You did not ask "why do Southern nurses flock to job actions in Cali". If you have checked out US Nursing ( and it's friend Faststaff), Cali is where many of the job actions are. There are, very few strikes that come up in the South. And given working a job action in NJ, PA, KS or Cali (especially in Winter)....where would you go? Of course, they will not get to enjoy the sights, but it is a lot easier than trekking through snow. US Nursing and Faststaff also prefer Nurses from out of the local area of the strike.

And while I do not work strikes, I have (with one extremely large Company, known as the "evil empire"), had recruiters try to have me take assignments in facilities that were going on strike. Of course this was not mentioned by the facility or my recruiter, and I only knew about through the grapevine. I left behind the "evil empire" shortly after that. Some travelers without connections get sucked in by unethical recruiters and companies.

CHATSDALE · Jan 11, 2005

i can't believe that the posts here....is anyone so stupid to believe that domestic abuse is a southern problem... the southern nurses are as clean and as capable, knowledgeable as any you will find in other state...

i would never cross a picket line, nursing or otherwise

do these people really believe that $45/hr is a 'forturne'???

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jan 11, 2005

thread title is:

trying to bust a strike

one of the best articles that covers many points is from cna's revolution july-august. 2001 issue:

who you gonna call?

busting the union-busters.

the uan (united american nurses), labor arm of ana has good info regarding nurses right to organize including facing intimidating meetings, anti-union literature and intense pressure.

http://nursingworld.org/uan/nursesorganize.htm

stevierae · Jan 11, 2005

i can't believe that the posts here....is anyone so stupid to believe that domestic abuse is a southern problem... the southern nurses are as clean and as capable, knowledgeable as any you will find in other state...
i would never cross a picket line, nursing or otherwise
do these people really believe that $45/hr is a 'forturne'???

No one tried to insinuate that domestic abuse was a Southern problem, and no one insinuated anything about ALL Southern nurses in the areas you mentioned. I said that MANY that were employees of U.S. Nursing--who, as I said, wasn't real selective in their hiring process; they wanted "warm bodies' to fill slots-- showed up at this particular strike in '96 in Northern CA were that way--NOT all. And, at the time, many DID say that $45 an hour, with overtime paid after 8 hours in a day--not after 40 hours in a week--was a fortune to them.

In fact, many that showed up in the San Francisco Bay area for the Sutter strike were from the South--and that company (featured on this thread) was paying $45 an hour--and that was less than 3 months ago. San Francisco is windy and chilly this time of year, and those strike nurses weren't coming for the sights or the streetcars. They worked as many hours as they could possibly get.

Let's not read anything that wasn't actually said into posts here--this is a good discussion.

stevierae · Jan 11, 2005

Stevierae:
You asked why Southern Nurses flock to California, etal. I said because it is new interesting and different. You say try a travel Nursing assignment.
I am a traveler (though will probably not take a Cali assignment for reasons detailed previously).
You did not ask "why do Southern nurses flock to job actions in Cali". If you have checked out US Nursing ( and it's friend Faststaff), Cali is where many of the job actions are. There are, very few strikes that come up in the South. And given working a job action in NJ, PA, KS or Cali (especially in Winter)....where would you go? Of course, they will not get to enjoy the sights, but it is a lot easier than trekking through snow. US Nursing and Faststaff also prefer Nurses from out of the local area of the strike.

Actually, what I said--look at post # 61--was this:

"but it seems that sooooo many nurses from the South ( notice that you are from North Carolina) are anti-union, and sooooo many nurses from the South--my Gosh, there were a lot of them with U.S. Nursing--seem to flock to CA anytime a hospital goes on strike, clueless and perhaps not caring WHY those RNs are on strike."

At the time I referred to, when U.S. Nursing was in its heyday--'96--almost ALL the stike nurses (the ones employed by U.S. Nursing, that is) that showed up were from the South.

A few years back, in OR, there was a big strike. Almost all the nurses that showed up through Faststaff and other companies were from the South. it was the dead of winter, and, in winter here, it rains incessantly.

Regarding the strike company that sent out that email that has been featured in a couple of posts on this thread--I called the number, just to see who thse people were. A guy who I was told was in charge had a really, really deep Southern accent. I asked him if he knew about U.S. Nursing--come to find out, he had worked for Dan (the late owner) in '96.

Let's not quibble. All I am saying is, from what I've observed, the strike nurses, a preponderance of whom were from the South, who come to the West Coast to cross picket lines that I have spoken to said that they were anti-union and were here to make all the money they possibly could--they were not in CA or OR to enjoy the beautiful West Coast lifestyle and nature.

heart queen · Jan 12, 2005

That's exactly what we did, the times we were on strike in CA--and, when the OR techs went on strike (they were a different union) they did the same thing. A certain amount of time is expected out on the strike line, but one can, and most do, work registry.
The problem occurs when an entire GROUP of hospitals goes on strike--such as just happened with Sutter, in Northern CA--and there just isn't enough registry work to go around for all that might want to work at the remaining hospitals. Then, you just take a travel assignment, and let them know that yuo might have to go back before 13 weeks is up. If you do this, you forfeit your completion bonus.

Our hospital system comprises the main 5 hospitals in the area. Believe it or not, nursing work is TIGHT here. There will not be enough open positions in the two remaining 200 bed hospitals for 4000 nurses.

I cannot afford a 30 day wait for a new insurance plan to kick in ... and CAN"T travel with three school age kids for the sake of work or personal ethics. I'm not alone in this. There are many single parents ... nurses with spouses who just can't up and travel and few options to work... This is a REAL barrier to those who would love to support a strike yet lack the resources to do so.

Now our local circumstances may not reflect the majority of the country yet my circumstances are not completely rare.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Jan 12, 2005

i can't believe that the posts here....is anyone so stupid to believe that domestic abuse is a southern problem... the southern nurses are as clean and as capable, knowledgeable as any you will find in other state...
i would never cross a picket line, nursing or otherwise
do these people really believe that $45/hr is a 'forturne'???

I dont work for that when crossing a strike line, I get a whole lot more. I usually get 70 to 75 an hour.That isnt a fortune either but its damn nice in anyones view

stevierae · Jan 13, 2005

I dont work for that when crossing a strike line, I get a whole lot more. I usually get 70 to 75 an hour.That isnt a fortune either but its damn nice in anyones view

Is that straight time, or is that once you are over 8 or even 12 hours? If it's straight time, I could see how it could prove tempting, esp. if after 8 hours it goes to $112.50, and after 12 it goes to $150. That buys a lot of tee times and toys.

I still wouldn't do it, but, then, I don't play golf.

medpsychRN · Jan 13, 2005

This is why nurses get treated like you know what by the administration. They know that for every nurse who will stand up for what is right and fair, there will be plenty more who will accuse them of bieng selfish and "abandoning" the patient. I agree that all patients deserve good care, but maybe that is what those nurses are going to strike over. Maybe they aren't given adequate satffing for safe patient care. I do not mean to offend anyone, but we will always be treated as less than professionals because we act weak and don't offer full support because they can always clobber us with the "what about the patient" card even though it doesn't seem to apply to those that control the money and staffing ratio. Sorry - rant over. Good luck to those nurses who I am sure are going through a hellacious time even having to consider striking. I for one would never cross the line because these patients can be cared for elsewhere until the issue is resolved FAIRLY.

Absolutely!!! Our PTO time was cut last year by 3 days. Now staffing has been cut. All I hear about is the budget and how my responsibilities are increasing. In this day and age, anything sparks a lawsuit. Sometimes it's very hard to juggle all that.