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?
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
I agree. My point is this: just tell the truth. If you work strikes for the money then have the decensy to say so. Just don't tell me you are going out of town to work for $50 per hour for the good of those poor patients.
. Not only does California have the highest wages for RNs, they also throw around political muscle in doing things like getting nursing ratios legislated in...
How do you feel about being a nurse in California? I am desperate to move back but just can't afford the housing while going to school. Well ... maybe I'll find a way. I'm going to try living in Pittsburgh (PA) this winter and see if I can stand it. If so I'll go to school there (houses are very cheap to buy and really gorgeous - it's a great community as well). But California is absolutely where I belong and I can't even think about it without starting to get teary-eyed. Arrgghh I miss it!
Nurses are so IDEALISTIC. I am coming from the perspective of the textile industry. Believe it or not, hospitals are for profit. And believe it or nor I used to feel the same way as you until I got a good dose of reality. But believe me or not I don't care because the first thing to go in the face of losing your job is your IDEALISM. :rotfl:
How about the first time you feel abused on the job by management (which in my case was my first day at work right out of school!) I've always been a hard worker, but that doesn't mean I can do the impossible. With most staffing levels, the best that can be done is everything half-assed; and the nurses go home exhausted but feeling like they didn't do a good job. Not to mention terrified of losing your license or about lawsuits, etc.
It is called not caring about anyone else but yourself. By your statement you are agreeing that it is about money, not the patients.
I have to disagree. I call it looking out for yourself. If you don't do it, nobody will, especially your employer. Why is it when Nurses want to work for excellent wages, all of a sudden they are branded as Nurses that don't care about their patients? It seems that when other professions get more money, well heck, they work hard and they deserve it, but when Nurses get (or want) more money, they are "selfish" and "not caring". Personally, if I have to put in my 10 or 12 hour day, I want to get paid the most that I can! Why shouldn't I? This has zero reflection on the care and compassion that I provide my patients.
I don't know of one hospital here that is unionized. At least not in the Phoenix area.
Thanks! Like I said I'm a student so I don't know much about all this. Looks to be a rather heated issue though.
In high school and before starting nursing school I worked at a Fry's there in AZ, we were under union contract. If you wanted to join the UFCW you could, if you didn't want to you didn't have to. We had great working conditions. I know nursing is completely different though so I'm just learning about this. Thanks for the info.
I have to disagree. I call it looking out for yourself. If you don't do it, nobody will, especially your employer. Why is it when Nurses want to work for excellent wages, all of a sudden they are branded as Nurses that don't care about their patients? It seems that when other professions get more money, well heck, they work hard and they deserve it, but when Nurses get (or want) more money, they are "selfish" and "not caring". Personally, if I have to put in my 10 or 12 hour day, I want to get paid the most that I can! Why shouldn't I? This has zero reflection on the care and compassion that I provide my patients.
You said you disagree with me but I completely agree with your statement. Where does it say that it is not caring and compassionate if a nurse stands up to the hospitals for a fair wage? What I said was if you are a nurse that will cross a picket line to work at a striking hospital admit you do it for the money and not the patients.
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. QUOTE]
How about this one: I am happy with my job, I love where I work, am treated well by management, and see no need to join a union.
There are many nurses out there working who are treated well by management and enjoy their jobs. The reason, in my humble opinion, to join a union is for fellow nurses who are not working under the conditions they deserve. The more voices, the more power we as a profession have to effect changes for all who work in our profession. Have a good day.
Doctors work and negotiate as groups, that doesn't make them less professional. IMO, worrying about being perceived as blue collar holds us back. I would love to get the benefits and wages of some of those blue collar jobs.
I agree 100%. At a major package delivery service in my town, the drivers make $25/hr to deliver packages. I make less than $18/hr working in the ER where we save lives. Their health insurance is half the cost of mine. They are union, we are not. I did not get into nursing to be rich but I am not a martyr either.
I have to disagree. I call it looking out for yourself. If you don't do it, nobody will, especially your employer. Why is it when Nurses want to work for excellent wages, all of a sudden they are branded as Nurses that don't care about their patients? It seems that when other professions get more money, well heck, they work hard and they deserve it, but when Nurses get (or want) more money, they are "selfish" and "not caring". Personally, if I have to put in my 10 or 12 hour day, I want to get paid the most that I can! Why shouldn't I? This has zero reflection on the care and compassion that I provide my patients.
You're damn right it's about looking after yourself. It's also DEFINATELY about the money they pay. How many people can realistically say they'd be doing this (or any NONvolunteer work for that matter) if it weren't for the pay and/or benefits? The fact is that in any business the employers have to make the employees happy if they want good employees doing their jobs well. Happy employees = happy customers.
You're damn right it's about looking after yourself. It's also DEFINATELY about the money they pay. How many people can realistically say they'd be doing this (or any NONvolunteer work for that matter) if it weren't for the pay and/or benefits? The fact is that in any business the employers have to make the employees happy if they want good employees doing their jobs well. Happy employees = happy customers.
I agree 100%. If we are to have a discussion about something let's start by being honest. The hospitals despise unions more for the loss of total control over the nurses' lives than the money. And in my opinion anyone crossing the nurse's picket line to work at a striking hospital is hurting their fellow nurses and the profession as a whole. And this is no more than selfishness on their part. If you disagree fine just DON'T tell me you are doing it for the sake of the poor patients.
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.
i am a nursing student in florida and i would like to join a union hospital. i dont think any exsist though. the reason i would like to join a union hospital is because here in florida expeacilly here in miami things are bad. almost all jobs dont have medical insurance (not nursing jobs they do) everyone is underpaid and overworked. thats the reason i want to join a union hospital. because even though the nurse's here get paid well (better than other proffesions in miami) and have benefits i have a pretty good hunch that it is not as well as in any other state (or city).
I agree 100%. If we are to have a discussion about something let's start by being honest. The hospitals despise unions more for the loss of total control over the nurses' lives than the money. And in my opinion anyone crossing the nurse's picket line to work at a striking hospital is hurting their fellow nurses and the profession as a whole. And this is no more than selfishness on their part. If you disagree fine just DON'T tell me you are doing it for the sake of the poor patients.
I agree to a lot of what you say. However....the hospitals don't despise unions for the loss of total control over the nurses' lives but over the loss of control of what happens inside their walls. Nurses need to face a few hard facts also. If you're looking for money as a motivator, it never was and never will be according to all research. But we, as nurses, need to be very clear about what we want and be able to intelligently and rationally articulate our position. We, also, need to make the hard choices if a hospital is not able to meet our needs or demands. We can stay at the facility and complain we can constructively try to reach a compromise beneficial to both, or we can leave. It's what the "big boys" do in the corporate world. Or, there is another choice if we can't find satisfaction. We can pursue another career. I'm not going to tell you anything is "for the sake of the poor patients." But, if not for the poor patients, why are we here?
NurseGuy_in_06
276 Posts
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
I agree. My point is this: just tell the truth. If you work strikes for the money then have the decensy to say so. Just don't tell me you are going out of town to work for $50 per hour for the good of those poor patients.