Unite nurses, don't divide us

[klbackus]

during national nurses week and throughout the year, seiu nurses feel we should be united, not divided --with other nurses, with other healthcare workers, with patient care advocates--to work for quality care. why then, is the california nurses association declaring war on nurses?

we're renewing our call for an end to cna's divisive actions as the outcome of a union representation election remains in balance for 1,000 of our nurse colleagues at three las vegas hospitals. despite months of cna's lies and false promises the cna failed to capture enough votes to lure nurses away from seiu.

cna's raiding in las vegas is yet another move aimed to divide nurses at a critical time when patients need us most. cna is also actively trying to decertify seiu nurses throughout california and other states. in march, the cna waged an aggressive "vote no" campaign in ohio, forcing the cancellation of union elections for 8,300 nurses and hospital workers in nine hospitals. in recent years the cna also has raided other unions or intervened in other unions' organizing drives in hawaii, illinois, missouri, tennessee, texas, and other states.

this nurses week, rather than dividing the too-few nurses who already have a union voice, let's unite the 85% who don't--for our patients and our profession.

for more information on cna's divisive actions, go to www.shameoncna.com.

posted on behalf of my nurse colleagues in seiu

[lindarn]

I believe that unions dumb down professions.

I live in a state where we have a very small percentage of unions, in fact, I do not know any nurses in a union setting. We have very few problems with staffing, most of the hospitals in my large city are magnet hospitals, and unions are not even discussed in the nursing schools in the area.

I have seen what unions have done to the teaching profession, and I believe it has made the educational system in this country worse, not better. If unions are so wonderful, why did we go from number 1 in the world in education to number 25 in the last 30 years? Why are classrooms getting bigger and bigger and children are getting lost in the system? Because unions are just another form of bureaucracy.

We have decided that we are not intelligent or articulate enough to voice our own concerns, but rather others should speak for us. I feel sorry for those nurses living in California, it does not seem that they are seen as true professionals.

Nurses need to become MUCH more involved in politics, advance their education past the ADN and even BSN level to truly understand the art of nursing and act like the professionals we label ourselves to be. Every other profession that we deal with that is involved in patient care has a minimum of a Bachelor's degree. We can't run with the big boys when we don't educate ourselves on all the aspects of health care and when have someone else representing our views.

How exactly does one "voice our concerns", when the big boys at the top see to it that individuals who "voice our concerns about staffing, etc", are shown the door. Nurses have "not decided that they are 'not intelligent or articulate enough' ", they fear for their jobs when they have no protection or power to change or control the present conditions. They fear for their licenses when it is apparent that the BONs care more about hospital administrations than the nurses ane the patients who they purport to protect.

I will tell you what I have told other antiunion advocates on this listserve- you have delusions of grandeur if you think that you can speak for, and protect your license, without an organization that has more power than your self to speak for you. And has the political clout. Others have tried, and have paid a steep price. You have only as much power as long as the hospital feels it is convenient for them to "humor the nurses", and fits their needs. Do not be lulled into thinking that when it is no longer "convenient" for the hospital, they will pull the plug on your nice staffing and you have no say in the matter. That is the point of a union contract. The hospital can, and will, change the rules, at any time regardless on the effects on the nursing staff, and also, the patients. You are at their mercy. They have the power and you have none.

Nurses will not stick together, mainly because they are not taught that in nursing school.It is not encouraged, and in fact, it is discouraged. It is to the hospitals advantage to continue to "divide and conquer"- it still works and is alive and well.

You have no problems with stafing etc, only because, at the present time, it suits administration to allow you good staffing. However, just wait for the next wave of "care redesign", and your wonderful staffing will go out the window. That by the way, is how this whole mess started in Boston. The nurses were not unionzed, and kept rejecting the union, in spite of how bad things were getting. The "cancer" of care redesign, quickly spread across the country. As hospitals relayed what they were doing to other hospitals, and more importantly, that the nurses were just bending over and taking it without so much as a whimper, it was a free for all. We are now ALL paying for their reluctance to organize, gain control, and put a stop to the nonsense. Here we are 15 years later, and things have gone from bad to worse. It was like Europe not stoppng Hitler when they had the chance, and kept 'appeasing him", until it became apparent that he was not stopping his march to dominate Europe. It turned into WWII. There is something to be said for the saying, "nip it in the bud"

Schools do students a disservice when they neglect to teach students avenues that will allow them to take control of their profession. They are more concerned with their own agendas than providing students with knowledge that can, and will assist them in their future careers as nurses.

Nurses are not taught how to have polital clout. They are not taught how to protect themselves in the workplace, and how to effect chage in their profession. That is why unions are necessary. Period. The other guys are bigger, and more powerful.

When nurses are taught from the get go, how to accomplish these things, bill for our services, then we won't need unions. Until then, we need them to protect our jobs and licenses. JMHO, and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

[focusedone]

i will tell you what i have told other antiunion advocates on this listserve- you have delusions of grandeur if you think that you can speak for, and protect your license, without an organization that has more power than your self to speak for you.

i have successfully done it numerous times. at both the hospital i work at and at the state legislative branch of my government.

"nurses will not stick together, mainly because they are not taught that in nursing school.it is not encouraged, and in fact, it is discouraged. it is to the hospitals advantage to continue to "divide and conquer"- it still works and is alive and well. "

then advocate for education instead of spending ridiculous amounts of money on union stewards.

"you have no problems with staffing etc, only because, at the present time, it suits administration to allow you good staffing. however, just wait for the next wave of "care redesign", and your wonderful staffing will go out the window."

you have no idea what my experience has been. i am not a new nurse. i have worked with hospital administration for years. we obviously just have a different viewpoint then your hospitals do. the unions that were here disassembled years ago and the environment has become much better. if a union came to my hospital, i would quit along with a multitude of others. i worked in a union environment and i have no desire to return to one. way to much animosity.

"here we are 15 years later, and things have gone from bad to worse. it was like europe not stoppng hitler when they had the chance, and kept 'appeasing him", until it became apparent that he was not stopping his march to dominate europe. it turned into wwii. there is something to be said for the saying, "nip it in the bud"

seriously, you are comparing hospital administrations to hitler?

schools do students a disservice when they neglect to teach students avenues that will allow them to take control of their profession.

yes like political awareness, professionalism, management classes, not putting up a wall between the nurses and administration.

when nurses are taught from the get go, how to accomplish these things, bill for our services, then we won't need unions. until then, we need them to protect our jobs and licenses.

my license, and many other nurses have never been threatened in my 15 years for talking to admin or trying to change the system.

i came across all this info some time ago when i was doing a paper in grad school about unions. i did a global study and all i found was a lot of fighting, even among different unions all battling for nurses to join their cause. yet they spend millions on useless endeavors such as sponsoring candidates (whom i don't support) with millions of dollars instead of fighting for patient rights. unions are just another layer of bureaucracy. no true professional out there has a union to defend itself. professional organizations are the key.

[PMHNP10]

If unions are so wonderful, why did we go from number 1 in the world in education to number 25 in the last 30 years?

I don't want to stray too far off topic, but I had to throw a couple cents in. Although where I taught, the teachers weren't unionized, I think I can give a pretty good account why our ed. system is going down the crapper. I could list a million things but I'll keep it to one--"No child left behind". It would not surprise me to learn that the braintrusts behind that slogan were behind the trainwreck known as "Just say 'No.'" which of course corresponds with the rousingly successful "war on drugs.":banghead:

[Fiona59]

Union stewards are volunteers, they work the floors, the steward on their own time and without pay.

[lindarn]

I don't want to stray too far off topic, but I had to throw a couple cents in. Although where I taught, the teachers weren't unionized, I think I can give a pretty good account why our ed. system is going down the crapper. I could list a million things but I'll keep it to one--"No child left behind". It would not surprise me to learn that the braintrusts behind that slogan were behind the trainwreck known as "Just say 'No.'" which of course corresponds with the rousingly successful "war on drugs.":banghead:

Teachers unionized years ago in order to enjoy academic freedom without the interferance from the Education Board. Seems like these were, and are good reason to unionize. If nurses had been unionized from the get go, we would not be in the mess that we are in now. Also, teaches have had, since the beginning of time, a four year college degree as entry into practice. No split teachers from different enty levels of education. It has kept them united and powerful. Nurses could learn alot from them.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

[MickeyRN1]

I dont pretent to know what all is going on with these two unions, but I will say when they fight over nurses it looks like they really dont care at all about the nurses and their rights but more about the union dues they can collect from them. Isn't any representation better than none? Currently I am an ONA member, but boy I know one thing for sure, my contract would be a lot sweeter if I had the steelworkers representing me!

[lindarn]

I dont pretent to know what all is going on with these two unions, but I will say when they fight over nurses it looks like they really dont care at all about the nurses and their rights but more about the union dues they can collect from them. Isn't any representation better than none? Currently I am an ONA member, but boy I know one thing for sure, my contract would be a lot sweeter if I had the steelworkers representing me!

No, any representation is not better than none. If you are represented by worthless union, if you have a grievance you are bound by law to exhaust all of you internal grievance proceedings before you seek legal advice/representation from an attorney. There are four steps to the grievance process, and I assure you the hospital drags it on as long as possible. They hope that you will lose interest in pursuing the grievance and drop it. This happens more often than you think.

Here in Washington State, there is Case Law that address unions not acting in a timely manner in resolving grievances. The decision of the State Supreme Court was the workers can bypass union grievances and obtain legal representation from an attorney if the union did not address and resolve the issue in four months time. The union then has to pay the all legal fees of the workers for the attorneys that they retained. Unfortunately, most people do not know that this case exists, and they allow the hospital and union to make you jump through hoops to get the justice that you seek.

Again, this is WASHINGTON STATE CASE LAW. I am not an attorney and I am not giving legal advice to anyone. I don't know if this case has been overturned in more recent legal proceedings.

Back to the point. No, a bad union is not better than none at all. If you do not have a union, you can go to an attorney right from the start and you will probably have your issue settled in a more timely manner. This would be an issue if you were unjustly terminated from you job. You would get much more timely outcome with an attorney.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

[Iam46yearsold]

SEIU Serve Employers Instead of US

[K98]

Somebody PLEASE raid us and get the SEIU the heck out of our hospital. They take 60.00+ per month off of each of 1400 RNs at our facility. Not one of our local union officers draw a CENT of salary or stipend. Our contract is a joke, the hospital violates it constantly. The big dogs at SEIU draw some very nice salaries while we get hosed and file grievance after grievance. Somebody please raid us and get this purple and yellow money-sucking monkey off of our backs...

[Iam46yearsold]

Unite yes

Unionize no, simply put. That is.

[adawg67]

So who wins when unions fight? The Boss

Who wins when 1 union unilateral declares themselves the "only" union for nurse? The BOSS

Who wins when union members support their dues money (was there a vote on this) to wage campaigns with already organized workers? The BOSS

What is the prize here? The BOSS gets stronger and new nurses are left in the cold as healthcare goes through drastic changes and mre and more nurses are without any union representation.

Is there anything that we can say is the best? Not really. That's why we are a democracy.

Do we all get junk mail sent to us without our permission? Yes-so stop whining about gettng mail or solicitation without your permission. Geez-it sounds so petty.

We as nurses need to get back to the work of elevating our profession, empowering ourselves and the new nurses joining our ranks at a very fast pace and get out their and organize the hundreds of thousands of non-union nurses who are being forced by their employers into a race to the bottom of healthcare and have no way to stop it unless they join together as a union.

We need to stop empowering the boss and get to the "getting to" of building union power.

[adawg67]

Why are you as nurses allowing the boss to violate your contract? There are several worksite actions that nurses can do in addition to filing grievances? Who are your stewards? What are they doing?

Your union dues are a tax write off by the way. Last time I checked we all need more tax writeoffs.

Get involved and work on making things better. Be part of the solution, not the problem.

I know you are a smart person who is resourceful enough to figure out ways to organize your co-workers into action against the boss.

Throwing your union out is not the answer - making improvements and changes that will result in long term power for you and your coworkers is the answer.

You are the union-nothing will change unless you change.