I work in NC currently,

Not long ago the hospital system i work for made a drastic change to its weekender policy.

Previously we only had to work Sat and Sun 12hr shifts and we would get paid for 36. Worked out to roughly making time and 1/2 for the hours we worked. I myself picked up Friday nights along with it (my choice to do) so i was making really good money with that system.

Now, since they changed us around, we had the choice to stay on Sat and Sun and lose the extra hours we got paid for. Or goto a "full time weekender" status and pick up a 3rd 12 shift during the week, and only get paid an extra 5 1/2 hours extra.

I just got my first pay check under this new system and as expected, it was around 400$ less then i was making.

The word Union got thrown around at the place i work and we were quickly told by our manager that the hospital system "would not allow a nure union and would not allow the attempt to form one"


I have never worked for a nursing union but i cant help to think that if we had had one in place, this may not have happen.

I can tell you since this change we have lost 4 good nurses from our department alone and we just found out that now, the people who work during the weekdays, will now have to pick up a weekend shift every 4 weeks. Wich most of us saw comming.

In this area, there are NO nursing unions to be heard of. Would having one have helped up in this situation?