Explain how Unions Work in Nursing

[Anonymous]

I am a Registered Nurse.. I don't need anyONE hospital to put food on my table..

Can't has never been in my vobcabulary. It shouldn't be in anyone elses.. People don't stay where they aren't happy..

Many nurses love to complain.That's probably why they don't join unions.. Because they would rather complain. And why aren't all those nurses who are leaving in droves you spoke of in another post unionizing. Maybe, because many of them don't believe that is the answer...

Are you aware of how many hospitals closed in the last few years?

As I've stated many times. I don't need/want someone to speak for me. I can and have spoken for myself.

I make $35/hr, work when I want, take time off when I want. Tell me what union would do that for me.


WR,,, three commas for Becca

Am I correct in my ass u me ing that you don't work for a union yourself and you want to "preach" to me???????

[Anonymous]

Let me ask you this..

Can a union get me a day job or do I have to work nights for years

Can a union stop a patient from having a stool in their beds and the smell

Can a union send only skinny people to my floor so I don't hurt my back

Can a union make a doctor write legalably

Can a union make my patient not have an MI at 1900 just when I finished charting.

Can a union stop a hurricane so I don't have to take care of more people than I can handle.

When they can do that and lots of other things that make nurses leave bedside nursing let me know..I won't be holding my breath..


Also, I like not to work T-day or Xmas or every other Sat. Wait I don't work T-day or Xmas..


WR,,, three commas for Becca

Oh and can they please make those visitors nicer..

[Anonymous]

P.S. The hospital makes me an "at will employee"...LOLL



WR,,, three commas for Becca

It's in the handbook.. Probably written by an ex union person..

[nursinghumor]

Done ranting Wandering?

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursing.com

[XYpicuRN]

Traveling nursing gives you a perspective that is quite different from mine. I prefer being an active participant in my profession and in the hospital I work at. Yes, that necessitates my working various holidays, and yes, I had to put in my time on nocs. But I like my job. Actually, WR - I love my job! How many people can say that? And no, WR, I am not management. I am a staff RN. You asked some ridiculously lame questions:

"Can a union get me a day job or do I have to work nights for years

Can a union stop a patient from having a stool in their beds and the smell

Can a union send only skinny people to my floor so I don't hurt my back

Can a union make a doctor write legalably

Can a union make my patient not have an MI at 1900 just when I finished charting.

Can a union stop a hurricane so I don't have to take care of more people than I can handle"

Please - can you at least try and make educated statements?

And then: "I wouldn't tout the ANA too much it hasn't done much for many. And if the ANA is so great why do you need a union ..Why won't the ANA fight for us????"

Your naivete is striking. Read a bit about nursing history. See how nursing started in this country. See what gains were achieved because of nursing creating a national organization. Please educate yourself on the labor movement and the founding of the ANA before making such uneducated statements.

[Anonymous]

You failed to answer my questions.. Can the union make patients be nice to me. I know the history of nursing in this country..I don't see any nurse from your hospital running here to tell us how great the union is???

Do you get paid for being a shop steward?? Would that make you biased at all??

I don't have to go to the sun to know it's hot there.

I don't want to vote every time I need/want something. I don't want to wait for things. And there are many things I don't want or need and yet if it's voted in I have no choice.

As for travel nursing you are right I have a different perspective on nursing. Where have you worked other than Washington State? I know what I can get and I go out and get it. All by my lonesome.. Nurses are in demand we don't need someone to speak for us.. Every time we do that we lose.. I believe that's the real crux of this matter. Nurses think/thought their professional organizations would help them and that's just not true.. Look at California. The CNA got staffing ratios.. Buu the law doesn't have teeth in it.. The hospitals got rid of ancillary staff so the nurses are just as busy if not busier than before.

Can you make educated answers. Heck you can't even answer let alone educated.

The nurses who like unions like them because they know they can get away with more and do less. IMHO...

And I believe you missed my post about working in a union hospital. And the fact that the union hospital in Maine has over 50 openings.. And there are only two employment options in Maine ( due to union representation BTW)..Wally World greeter and nurse.. So why does that hospital have so many openings?????

And how is asking if the union can get me a day job lame??? Many nurses can't work nights and they do leave nursing because they have to work nights..

I love my job too. I worked Memorial Day. I worked every Xmas and T-day for years when I worked in the hospital..

I will tell you again I don't want/need anyone to speak for me. I will never work union or vote for one. I would encourage everyone I know not to also...

Now you may work union if you like it and you may encourage other to work union and vote to..

I believe your biggest problem with me is the fact that you can't control a woman..Sorry for that.. Strong woman have always had this issue..


WR,,, three commas for Becca

[XYpicuRN]

Oh c'mon now. My biggest problem is the fact that I can't control a woman??? Where is that coming from? I work in a predominantly female profession. I'm a staff RN and occasionally do relief charge. I neither want, nor feel the need to "control" anyone.

First point: "Can the union make patients be nice to me." That is a lame question. If that is what you expect from a union - you're expectations are whacked. A union can negotiate wages and working conditions. A union can prevent employers from discharging employees without just cause. A union can make nurses as a group more empowered. (Apparently, you're powerful enough on your own. Cheers.)

The reason why you don't see any nurse from my hospital running to yours is because our retention is the best in the state. In fact, many of our staff were travelers who discovered that this was a great place to work and signed on as regular staff!

I am not a "shop steward." I am the treasurer in our local unit. NONE of the officers are paid. Our contribution is entirely on a voluntary and uncompensated basis.

Our members don't "vote every time I need/want something." We typically renegotiate our contract every 3 years.

"And there are many things I don't want or need and yet if it's voted in I have no choice." We deal with collective bargaining. The needs of the majority. If you feel you've been able to achieve all you need or want from the places you've worked, bravo.

I've also worked at a non-union facility in Montana. I've seen nurses fired for one unintentional act. At that hospital, they "punished" you for medication errors. The severity of the punishment depended upon how many "points" your medication error tallied. I now work at an institution that has a "non-blame" policy for medication errors.

As far as getting a day job.... Unions have given us a seniority based system. Why should a new person get a day position at the expense of someone who has worked here for awhile on nocs? If nurses can't put in there time on nocs, then I guess they won't work here.

"Nurses are in demand we don't need someone to speak for us.. Every time we do that we lose".... How is that? Nurses organized are voices united - and we can't lose. Give me examples of how "we lose."

The more and more I read your posts on this topic, I get the feeling that you're really in management.

"The nurses who like unions like them because they know they can get away with more and do less." Another lame and uneducated statement, obviously coming from someone not involved in their profession. Those of us involved in our union are VERY involved. Some nurses, be they union represented or not, involve themselves in their profession, and serve on committees within the institution they work. And some nurses do not.

Collective bargaining is simply that. Negotiating fair and competive wages and working conditions for the whole. If you are satisfied with your work without collective bargaining - I'm happy for you. I for one take pride in being an active participant in my profession and professional organization.

[Anonymous]

So you wouldn't represent a whacked nurse..Why not?? And a union can help keep slackers.. If some of us are gonna toss out words..Let's do it..
Do you understand that many of us are leaders not followers? Shouldn't nurses be leaders??

I didn't ask them to flock to mine.. Read my post. I asked why they haven't flocked here to this forum to tout the union..

Many travel nurses have signed onto non union hospitals. I believe many travel nurses sign on perm because they have found the ideal place to live, Climate wise, school wise..You know location location location.

You mean I have to wait 3 years for a raise or something I want.. Heck when I worked in a hospital we got a raise every year.. And I renegotiate my contract every 13 weeks..I'm old I might not see 3 years.

Finally you get it.. I have negotiated what "I" want and need..

Your hospital with it's medication errors must be the one I see reported on TV all the time..You think medication errors should be slipped under the rug???

Unintentional error isn't that an oxymoron??

Most hospitals have a senority based system..That's a lame example if I've ever seen one..Obviously I have.

We lose our identity..We lose our voice Our personal voice. It's your way or the highway.. Ya know if unions catch on in nursing the way you would like them to and all of the nurses get all these perks and don't ever want to leave nursing because the unions are so great the Nursing unions will "vote" themselves right out of existence. There won't be a nursing shortage ..There will be layoffs. Many hospitals have already hired foreign nurses.. Do you think they will stop???


Great that you are happy.. I am too.

WR,,, three commas for Becca...

[Anonymous]

NOPE


WR,,, three commas for Becca

[Anonymous]

Your last paragraph says it all.. A nurse can't and shouldn't speak for another one..Thanks for seeing it my way...

I don't want to speak for others..The only person I speak for is myself and as a patient advocate.

WR,,, three commas for Becca