For a while now I've been reading about the so called nursing shortage and today I read a thread that discusses this issue and the general opinion that the problem is the poor working environment, pay etc. So I can't help but wonder why we aren't organized. Surely if ALL of us were unionized we'd be in a better position to negotiate. I live in Denmark where 97% of all nurses are union members. Things are not perfect here, but better than the US I think.
So, what do all of you think? Why aren't we more organized? Seems like I've read somewhere that ca. 30% of american nurses are unionized?
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
Bit different over here. Any nurse, including agency nurses, can join any appropriate national union & get representation from them if they need it. My union (I am in the Royal College of Nursing, as are most qualified nurses) works on two levels. The "top" level influence the government agenda and broader political issues. But it also works at the "lower" levels and has a very strong representation at a grass roots level. So any nurse who is being disciplined, whether that is for clinical reasons or employment reasons, has a right to representation at the disciplinary hearing from their union representative.
Can you get representation in this way if you are being disciplined for clinical or employment issues?
PAC?? Gizzaclue...thats a good Scouse (Liverpudlian) expression for "Give me a clue please"!!
Sorry...lol. We first have the ANA (American Nurses Assn.) which is the national group, then most states have an arm of that (state nurses assn.'s). All of which have a PAC (Political Action Committee). You can get representation from your state nurses assn. in some cases for workplace issues. They mostly deal with legislation, though.
In Florida the "right to work" state, the majority of nurses in my hospital would like a union. Is it happening? No. Why? They are afraid of losing their job. THe last time the nurses got together and wanted a union, administration got word and do you know that those nurses were all gone within 1 year! It scared everyone else. What do you do! They can fire you for any reason in this state. We would love to have a union. The working conditions are horrible. Will we? Nope. No one wants to risk their job.
Well honeys its like this. When we apply for jobs around here, on the applications there is a sentence that says we can be terminated for any reason
anytime. Go fiqure. I work because I have to. Period. I think unions are a great idea, but what do you do? Anybody got connections in the white house like the mom inventor? Thanks for the vent time.........
The nursing profession is in dire straits. We have such a terrible time with sticking together. We have nurses leaving the profession due to the poor working conditions. We do not have enough new nurses joining the profession to keep up with the demand. How are we to keep people interested in nursing if we don't act to improve the outlook of the profession?
I went to work each day knowing that my patients were not receiving the best possible care because administration was ignoring our pleas for more help, less patients per nurse, or lower acuity. We were accepting patients to our unit when we should not have. It was not a safe environment.
In my situation, I stood together with my colleagues and voted for union representation. Now, 2 years later, we are part of the longest nursing strike in U.S. history! Why? Because my hospital is appalled at the idea of having a union to deal with. We have held 2 strike votes and each time voted for the union, however the hospital refuses to bargain. One of the major points of contention is the goal of having nurses as non-voting members of the board so that we can be aware of issues the hospital is addressing that affect patient care. Nurses need to be aware of patient care issues to advocate for their concerns. Also, the hospital refuses to accept the idea of a closed shop. The majority of nurses voted for union representation. When the union represents us, they are required by law to represent every nurse. Nurses have the option of choosing to pay full dues or a 95% dues option of they choose. However, every nurse benefits from the bargaining efforts of the union.
My hospital continues to claim that this strike is about money. However, they have spent millions of dollars for replacement nurses and legal fees for a strike-breaking law firm. Dollars that should have went to improve our community's healthcare resources. Instead, this money has left the community with the nurses who crossed our picket line to make the big bucks at our expense.
There are Nurses in a hospital in Los Angeles that want a union and after months of arguing the pros and the cons, there was an election. The Nurses voted, YES! The hospital was so upset by this that they have spent millions of dollars to take the results to court. Due to some snafu which a lawyer found in the legal system, there is now going to be another election.
My question: Why is this hospital so scared of Registered Nurses becoming Unionized?
I think they are afraid because the standards and conditions will have to be improved for nurses. Administration will have to treat nurses humanely instead of demanding more work for little money.
In Trinidad, Co, the nurses unionized. the hospital basically sent them packing iunder the pretense they were not needed. Now the hospital is using agency. go figure
Having been on both sides of the issue (union and management) I can say FOR CERTAIN that if all of nursing was unionized it would make for better working conditions and pay. If anyone disagrees I would like to know because I would like to see if anyone has a reason for not joining a union that I have not heard before because I have heard it all, including being in manasgement meetings where the only topic was how to STOP a union from forming. What threat can management use to scare nurses away from forming a union? The hospitals cannot pack up and go to Mexico. They NEED us and know it but don't want us to know it.
I have a friend who is a male nurse who is always saying that if nursing were a male profession, wages and working conditions would be a lot different than they currently are. I tend to agree.
I have a friend who is a male nurse who is always saying that if nursing were a male profession, wages and working conditions would be a lot different than they currently are. I tend to agree.
Men do tend to put up with less and voice their opinion more. However, if the hospitals knew that No nurses would ever cross the picket line just the threat of a strike would be enough. So in this case nurses that cross the picket line to work at a striking hospital are the ones hurting the nurses in the right to work states.
A hospital I previously worked at frequently employed travelers. A group of them were from Alabama. One of these travelers was complaining about the unions here. When I stated I was pro-union she told me, "If you said union in Alabama you would be black balled and never work again". Surprisingly enough she continued to complain about unuions so I asked her why she was here. "Because I am getting $40./hr. here and would only get $14./hr in Alabama". Either she is very unprincipled or extremely ignorant. If you don't believe in unions go work in Alabama for $14/hr.
A hospital I previously worked at frequently employed travelers. A group of them were from Alabama. One of these travelers was complaining about the unions here. When I stated I was pro-union she told me, "If you said union in Alabama you would be black balled and never work again". Surprisingly enough she continued to complain about unuions so I asked her why she was here. "Because I am getting $40./hr. here and would only get $14./hr in Alabama". Either she is very unprincipled or extremely ignorant. If you don't believe in unions go work in Alabama for $14/hr.
Very simply put, if you have a good employer who pays you a fair wage and benefits and treats you well as a partner in the healthcare business you don't need a union. If you don't have a good employer, then you may want to look at a union, but make certain the union doesn't screw you too.
Your good employer is paying a fair wage because they have to compete with Union wages. Here in Iowa, where very few nurses have a union, the wages' race is to the bottom, hospitals figure what is the least they pay their nurses without loosing too many... and Iowa nurses have the lowest wages in the nation. :angryfire
BBFRN, BSN, PhD
3,779 Posts
Sorry...lol. We first have the ANA (American Nurses Assn.) which is the national group, then most states have an arm of that (state nurses assn.'s). All of which have a PAC (Political Action Committee). You can get representation from your state nurses assn. in some cases for workplace issues. They mostly deal with legislation, though.