Which States Have Nursing Union Jobs?

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Specializes in PCCN.

Dumb question. What states have union jobs ( nursing) . I think if I belonged to a union, I might not be so inclined to quit nursing due to abuse.

I had a union job prior to nursing- IUE, so I know how they work.

Thanks

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

in general, none of the hospitals in any of the Southern states are going to be unionized. This is largely a result of a deeply ingrained cultural antipathy toward unionization on the part of workers, as well as pro-business political attitudes. Other than one facility in Houston, none of the hospitals in the South are union.

The majority of union hospitals are located in the Northeast, the upper Midwest, and the West Coast.

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I had a union job when I was a teacher in a large, urban school in a Northeastern city and took all kinds of abuse from the kids when I worked in the bad schools. The union didn't help with those type of things and never will. They can negotiate certain things but making inner-city schools a place (most) teachers desire to be in for years and years isn't one of them so the union isn't always the answer.

Also, Teacher unions are traditionally very strong and can pretty much still call the shots though they are getting weaker in general and I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing. One example: Why should the taxpayers be made to pay 100% of the Teachers health benefits?? They shouldn't. Logic and common sense arose so many school boards and taxpayers finally stood up and said enough. The unions have no leg to stand on other than tradition and the-way-it's-always-been mumbo jumbo.

I now am a nurse in a large, urban Level 1 unionized hospital in a Northeastern city. It's a closed shop- you want an RN job there, you must belong to the union, which I don't agree with but that's another story. I work in a brutal environment where Nurses are abused, much more so than the other non-union hospital system across the city (I used to work for them) for lots of reasons. Our weak union is one of them for sure.

Examples: Grievances are filed and never taken to management for remedy and management actually says things like, you can have x, y, z but you have to give up your right to grieve a, b, c. A union has to be a big joke for management to even entertain something like that. There is talk of decertifying this union to go with another one by nurses all the time. I am a rep for my unit but that doesn't really mean anything either. My dad always says that a weak union is better than no union but not at the price I'm paying in dues.

A union is not always the answer and it's expensive!!

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MN is heavily unionized. I've opted out of every union job I've held. It's a pain but it is worth it to tell the unions I don't support them.

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MN is heavily unionized. I've opted out of every union job I've held. It's a pain but it is worth it to tell the unions I don't support them.

When I had my very first contract teaching job in the early 90's, I opted out of the union and my parents really thought I would be in physical danger! They were raised in a very blue-collar, heavily, heavily unionized industrial Northeastern city where >90% of the men were in a union- literally every adult male relative they. It was unheard of to not be pro-union in their world and I guess not very safe.

I laughed and said that it wasn't like that anymore but I don't really think they believed me- especially my mom. I survived and thrived in the end as my school's building steward was perfectly fine with it and never treated me differently.

It was later that I got another teaching job and stayed in the union since I didn't have the time or energy to get out of it- different phase of my life and all.

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When I had my very first contract teaching job in the early 90's, I opted out of the union and my parents really thought I would be in physical danger! They were raised in a very blue-collar, heavily, heavily unionized industrial Northeastern city where >90% of the men were in a union- literally every adult male relative they. It was unheard of to not be pro-union in their world and I guess not very safe.

I laughed and said that it wasn't like that anymore but I don't really think they believed me- especially my mom. I survived and thrived in the end as my school's building steward was perfectly fine with it and never treated me differently.

It was later that I got another teaching job and stayed in the union since I didn't have the time or energy to get out of it- different phase of my life and all.

Yeah, they don't really advertise that you can opt-out and don't make the paperwork nice and simple. But for me it is worth it to make the statement. Yes, it is a different world today.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Unionization is prevalent across Canada. The unions are vocal, some of them stronger than others.

You cannot opt out, and dues are expensive. I've never needed the union, and now I'm "out of scope" (meaning, I don't belong to a union). Management positions are non-unionized.

I do miss yearly cost of living increments and the added shift premiums that come with the union, but other than that, it makes no difference.

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Specializes in PCCN.

It just would be nice to actually have breaks and lunches ever. No way to enforce it.

Also seniority would be nice if it was enforced.

But alas, when I did last belong to a union,it was 15 + years ago, maybe when they had some power. I was guaranteed 2 15 min.breaks and a 30 minute lunch. Now Im lucky to get a lunch in maybe 1 out of 8 shifts, and forget breaks. Oh, but the day shift people get their breaks cause they are staffed better.

I guess Im just dreaming.Oh well :(

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Unionization is prevalent across Canada. The unions are vocal, some of them stronger than others.
And you can tell unionization is prevalent in Canada, as evidenced by the excellent pay and benefits bestowed upon most Canadian nurses and healthcare workers.
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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Moved to AN's Collective Bargaining / Nursing Union forum.

States with many nursing unionized facilities: CA, NY, Mass, Maine, PA, Il-Chicago area, IN, MN, DC --also VA medical centers.

Some unions exist in: NJ, MO, KS, CO,OH, VT, Fl, TX, AZ, NV, CT

Countries with strong nursing unions: Canada, Australia, New Zealand

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I am a current union (non-healthcare) member. I'm back in my former trade, although I miss nursing, it's why I'm still on this board.

I now (once again) enjoy an excellant salary, fantastic and generous benefits, lots of little perks, free healthcare, no mandation, (now) two pensions, and do not dread going to work or worry about being 'thrown under the bus'. I work hard for my wage (and my employer) and absolutely love my job. I left this field once in order to become a nurse, gave it 'a few/several' years, and got the hell right back out of nursing once I saw that this nursing 'calling/career' was what it was.

However, You will find a union in health care to be, for the most part, extremely weak and ineffective. This is particularly true in ltc. It is because the unions are only as strong (and brave) as the mindset of the members and the officers. And in healthcare for whatever reason, people are, for the most part, just unwilling to rise above their 'doormat' status and make their work-lives (and ultimately, their patients' and residents' lives) any better.

It is a large part of that bane of professional health care, the 'calling' complex.

As always, YMMV.

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Some unions exist in: AZ, NV

Can you elaborate on the unions in these two states for me? Particularly NV?

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