Nursing Union?

I think most of you who've been around here for a while already know what I
think of my employer's policies. I also feel that any company that has a union
deserved it because happy employees don't need one.

That being said, I received a mailing today from the California Nurse's
Association essentially asking me if I thought my company should unionize. I
am strongly tempted to answer in the affirmative as my employer continues to
demonstrate his lack of respect for the contributions of nursing to his
hospital.

Several other hospitals within our corporation are already organized, though
mainly out of the West Coast. No doubt the company fought them tooth and nail.

Within the last month they fired two very experienced nurses for passing on the
nurse's refusal to go to another floor outside our division, which we all
thought we had the right to do. Mind you, the ones fired didn't refuse; they
merely passed along the refusals of the others. The VP of nursing became
personally involved and entered into a shouting match... with her doing all the
shouting. Initially, the claim was they were fired for insubordination. Now
that's been changed to "using an improper tone" with management. In any case,
it's bullshit.

What we are thinking is that if it could happen to these two, what would keep
the same thing from happening to the rest of us? Maybe a union?

Both of the Carolinas are traditionally non-union states and labor garners
little sympathy from the public traditionally. But once again, the company that
gets a union deserved a union.

So now I'm sweating the ramifications of sending that card back with my name and
address on it. I know that several of my coworkers also received the pamphlet
and are mulling over what to do with it. I'm not so brave that I'm ready and
willing to openly try to organize. On the other hand, I probably would vote for
one if the opportunity presented itself.

Your thoughts?



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr . com

"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" <mschnerdatcarolina.rr . com > wrote in message

> So now I'm sweating the ramifications of sending that card back with my
> name and address on it. I know that several of my coworkers also received
> the pamphlet and are mulling over what to do with it. I'm not so brave
> that I'm ready and willing to openly try to organize. On the other hand,
> I probably would vote for one if the opportunity presented itself.

Signing a union card isn't a commitment to anything. It just, if the union
gets enough of them, gives them the right to enter your building and request
an election.

As for the union itself, 99% of the time I think they encourage mediocrity
and discourage superior performancei by rewarding the dullards at the
expense of the achievers. But for that 1% of the time that an innocent
person is getting totally screwed by management, the union is priceless.

So go where your heart leads you.

"cat" <catsandcanaries@nospammeowmeow . com > wrote
> As for the union itself, 99% of the time I think they encourage mediocrity
> and discourage superior performancei by rewarding the dullards at the
> expense of the achievers. But for that 1% of the time that an innocent
> person is getting totally screwed by management, the union is priceless.

A union is only as good as its (local) members make it.

But just remember what a union does at its most basic - it allows the
members to speak with one voice with some protection from victimisation by
management - who otherwise have ALL the power.

At its best, membership rewards ALL the members, dullards or not. And
without a union, the dullards do OK; even the dullest of them knows how to
brown nose. Merit is no guarantee of success in a non-union work place.

BTW, I'm in the UK, so your mileage may vary. A little ;o)
--

Andrew
* w w w .realnurse . net /