Happy Labor Day! We can't think of a better or more meaningful day for our first union update. We will try to send out information to everyone as often as possible. Please check the website frequently as we will continue to post updates and add helpful content. Subscribe to be the first to receive updates via email.
September 4 Update: Polling has so far shown 75-80% are in favor of a union, with another 5-10% in favor of supporting a vote. This does not include all RN's yet, but still fantastic news! We are still in the phase of connecting all of us together, whether it's through this website, via text, email, or word of mouth. Please do what you can to help spread the word. Once we feel our numbers are strong enough, we will move onto the petition. We can make this happen! We are still in search of some people who would like to be "leaders" for their unit and help coordinate with our efforts. Please reach out if this is something that you think you could do. This is a group effort that requires a lot of help to be successful.
Many people have been spoken to directly or received a flyer from management. We have subsequently received many questions, and will answer the most frequent in this email, and try to add more to the FAQ section of the website. Please continue to email, text, or use the website chat feature with any questions or concerns. A lot of misleading information is being put out by management, and they will continue to do so to try to stop our efforts. Question 1: Do I lose my right to negotiate my own salary and benefits? Answer: Do you really feel like you have that now? When was your last wage negotiation, if ever? When have you ever discussed your wage, benefits, or working conditions with someone who could actually affect change and who listened to you? A union affords us collective bargaining, giving us a voice we have not had in the past, to negotiate and continually renegotiate wages, benefits, and working conditions. Question 2: Does signing up on this website, signing a petition, or signing a union card constitute a legally binding agreement? Answer: It absolutely does not. The purpose of this website is to connect us. The purpose of a petition and/or union cards is to ultimately get us to a hospital-wide VOTE. This will be conducted by the NLRB, not us or the hospital. This is still a democratic process that will ultimately require a majority to pass in a hospital-wide vote by RN's. Question 3: Do I have to answer union questions from management? Answer: You do not. You are well within your rights to say, "I do not wish to discuss this" and leave it at that. You may be required to listen to what they have to say, but nobody is allowed to threaten, coerce, punish, offer incentives, or in any way restrict your right to participate or discuss with others. Please see our legal resource section on the website for more info. If you feel your rights have been violated in any way, please document immediately, and reach out to us for further guidance or contact the NLRB directly.
Keep spreading the word and Happy Labor Day!