Due to a short stint in travel nursing, I am now on the email list of several travel nursing companies. I just received an email from one company, talking about how they're gearing up to send 300+ nurses out to Maine, in anticipation of a strike.
They're only guaranteeing 36 hours total, and they anticipate the strike may end by that time. And they're offering $46/hour for a week of work.
I don't know, if I'm going to uproot my life, fly across country, cross a picket line of angry nurses, and only have one week of guaranteed work, I darn well better be paid more than $46/hour!
If I was a patient in a hospital, I sure as hell would hope someone would cross the line to come take care of me. I guess I just look at things from a different angle.
Consider this angle..
Having adequate nurse patient ratiosis why currently a group of nurses voted to strike.
I find the discussion interesting, once one major IVY League connected teaching hospital years ago was able to get rid of the union here is what happened...
Post union, for many of the hospital units they hired agency and travel nurses.
For patients, this meant a different nurse each day each shift. No continuity of care for the patients who were unaware that none of the nurses on
their unit worked for the hospital directly. Patients lose.
For the hospital, they reduced their amount of having to pay benefits in their budget. Hospital wins.
I would never cross a picket line. Never, ever. Period.
I hope the nurse currently fighting for safe patient staffing ratios win...
I have nothing to compare it to, lived here all my life. I'm not really am expert but I have heard its high. It's not Hawaii high, gas is $4.50 a gallon, Milk is $3.50 a gallon, and everybody's hour is worth half of what they paid for it.
$40 an hour IS the union wage scale in California.
the figure mentioned above would be for a new grad , looking at the scale for my hospiatl it starts at $37 , within a short time , once completed work for first step of clinical ladder you are at $40 . Top of scale for staff nurse $53 for CN1 , 2, 3 approx $3 / step more . The pay scale for hospitals who have more mature contracts is better .
As to COL although hiigher in CA , I feel that is balanced in nursing by the safer enviroment brought about by staffing ratios and other aspects of my contract that protect me from the avarice of my employer , who I'm sure would employ trained monkeys tocarefor the patients if they could find them cheap enough !
Guest717236
1,062 Posts
Consider this angle..
Having adequate nurse patient ratios is why currently a group of nurses voted to strike.
I find the discussion interesting, once one major IVY League connected teaching hospital years ago was able to get rid of the union here is what happened...
Post union, for many of the hospital units they hired agency and travel nurses.
For patients, this meant a different nurse each day each shift. No continuity of care for the patients who were unaware that none of the nurses on
their unit worked for the hospital directly. Patients lose.
For the hospital, they reduced their amount of having to pay benefits in their budget. Hospital wins.
I would never cross a picket line. Never, ever. Period.
I hope the nurse currently fighting for safe patient staffing ratios win...