What Unions Should Insist On

JBMmom, MSN, NP · Aug 24, 2021

I think that sounds like a great idea. However, with time clocks recording in and out punches, I don't think there's a way that automation could be used to account for each unit's staffing on any given shift and then take the variable pay of the nurses that aren't working and divide that among those that are. The only thing I think could happen would be that a flat rate bonus could be applied to shifts that were short, but again, that would probably require manual entry of a shift code for each nurse that worked on any given shift. Maybe other organizations are better than mine, but my paycheck usually has an error as it is every two months or so. I can't see how they could possibly pull off something like this. Believe me, I'm not saying it's not an excellent idea, I'm saying that I don't think it's likely due to logistics. They would have to create a payroll position nearly entirely dedicated to tracking and entering staffing bonuses.

I wonder whether unions could argue staffing ratios into their contract. However, if there aren't enough staff that would probably end up causing people to be mandated, which already happens all the time at my hospital. I really don't have the answer, although I do like your suggestion.

Emergent, RN · Aug 25, 2021

The unions are too complacent and bloated on union dues to really do anything truly supportive of the nursing profession I'm afraid. ?

Wuzzie · Aug 25, 2021

I wish I was getting compensated for the work I'm doing. Right now they are offering bonus pay for people who sign up to cover holes in our schedule. They get overtime plus a couple of hundred dollars extra per 4 hr block. Unfortunately I work 5 days a week so I have no way to pick up extra. Usually we have multiple holes but only one person signing up. If nobody or not enough people sign up then we make do. "Making do" means somebody has to pick up the extra and it's usually me because I am always there. I'm going to sound like a real DB now and I'm sorry but I'm getting a little bitter about the entire situation. I don't have kids. For the last 18 months I have been covering the holes created by all the people who call off whenever their kid or someone in their kid's class has a sniffle, a tummy ache or what have you. It seems calling off is the default and nobody has a plan B. Yes, I understand the circumstances and I never minded before but it's getting old doing all this extra work while people doing princess shifts are getting paid mounds of money and I get literally...nothing.

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Aug 25, 2021

Understandable Wuzzie

JBMmom, MSN, NP · Aug 25, 2021

1 hour ago, Wuzzie said:

I wish I was getting compensated for the work I'm doing.

That is a very unfortunate situation, I can understand your frustration in seeing people pick up and get rewarded while your consistent reliability and work are taken for granted. I have a few coworkers that are already 40 hours a week so they are in similar situations and it's unfortunate that they can't figure out a way to reward employees that are really the backbone of these units.

11 hours ago, Emergent said:

The unions are too complacent and bloated on union dues to really do anything truly supportive of the nursing profession I'm afraid.

I 100% agree with your statement. There's a whole lot of handwaving and big talk, but in the end, very little is accomplished that truly helps the nurses on the floor.

Guest 1152923 · Aug 25, 2021

19 hours ago, Emergent said:

I think nursing unions should really get away from continuing on in the same outdated, ineffective concepts that descend from other types of workplaces, such as factories. They need to write into nursing contracts very specific to nursing language and agreements.

Number one on that list is that healthcare workers absolutely need to be compensated for working short-staffed. As it stands now, employers rake in a bonanza when nursing runs short. They lower their costs and squeeze more work out of their employees.

Unions need to start being more innovative, instead of negotiating weaker contracts every year. It should be very specifically written into the contract that, when there is one less body in the Staffing Matrix, that persons wage gets divied up between the other workers who are affected by that. How complicated is that? It makes total sense, and de-incentivizes healthcare administrators from grinding their workforce into the ground and lowering costs in the process.

^^^Agree 100%^^^ Yes, hospitals have little financial incentive to fully staff and though doing so may greatly benefits patients, it also hurts their bottom line; $$$$. The prevailing attitude for many hospital systems is that its better to exploit current staff while operating dangerously lean (more money for stuffed shirts and shareholders), than work on real solutions in this regard. While I agree that unions have some responsibility, beginning with Ronald Reagan, a particular political party has been working feverishly to disenfranchise unions and limit their influence and power.