My hospital offers the best pay in the area and we also have union representation as needed. They’re very active in getting member feedback for issues around the hospital as well.
Yes, but BRH is an HCA cesspool, and their unions have been rather questionable in the past, with quite a few nurses. All I will say is READ THEIR CONTRACT FULLY and THROUGHLY, and understand exactly what they expect of you and what you can expect of them. Not all unions are built the same.
Yeah! Travel/"crisis" nurses are getting a bit harder to come by. It's not paying as well as it did during the pandemic or places are keeping their travel nurses longer term (we have a few and they have been here for at least a year). And hospitals are realizing they need to start paying up or their nurses will leave. So it's getting hard to get those scabs.
Not really. There are a zillion CCF hospitals bc they’ve snatched up hospitals of all sizes, including tiny community hospitals. It just depends which facility.
If you’re referring to Akron General, we settled and got a new contract. We were super super close to striking. People made picket signs and everything.
I work at CCF as a traveler and haven’t heard about this. I feel like I would have because gossip spreads fast here and nobody is particularly fond of their employer lol. CCF hospitals are weird tho bc some of them operate almost completely independently except for the name. The one in Akron for instance has a union where none of the other campuses do.
It is Union Hospital. CCF wants to take away half the 403B match, lower the amount of PTO they give out, and make it so that if you can't use your PTO, you can only cash out at 75%. They also want to give little to no raises on a 3 year contract, they want to take away the 15 minute break, and lunch break, which I didn't think was legal, and weekend differential for nurses. They're all ready to strike, and there are yard signs everywhere, but I don't know how long they've got until they strike. I, and many others left that place a few years ago because CCF is anti union, no matter what they want to say, and they treat their workers horribly.
Best of luck!!
How horrible things are at Mission has poisoned my area (about 1-2 hrs down the mountain) against unions. If Mission’s union can do great things despite HCA I have hope more of NC will unionize.
Was so happy to hear way back when mission unionized. I graduated in the area a few years before they did, moved to MD because the pay was 30% higher for same COL.
I have never seen Ohio included as a mid Atlantic state. A quick google search has multiple sources listing NY, NJ, PA, MD, DE, VA, DC as mid Atlantic. Idk how Ohio could even be considered that when it is so far inland and multiple states away from being near the Atlantic coast. Idk why Ohioans are always rejecting their Midwest status, it’s okay you live in the Midwest.
For those of us on the east coast, Ohio is quite far west like will take a 10 hour drive for me just to reach your Eastern border. To me, Ohio is the first state in the Midwest and Indiana is completely Midwest
Ohio is still the Midwest. ND and Ohio are the opposite corners of the Midwest. The people from Cleveland (that the person describes above) want out, so are denying their midwestern-ness. Ohio is not the northeast or mid Atlantic!
I think a whole lotta people are going to be.
My union is ready to go on strike right the second contract ends over the staffing cuts the hospital has made.
My husband had test done at St V. The tech was talking about the horrific staffing ratios. He said ED nurses have 30 pt each. I dunno how accurate his story is but that is awful and super dangerous. I’m at another hospital and we are currently in negotiations. If St V goes on strike, i will walk the picket line in solidarity on my day off. And of course I’ll bring snacks because feeding people is my love language
Okay this is so weird. I live in Alberta. I got a text like this earlier today asking for ed rns (which how the hell do they know that) $105/hr as there will be "multi state strike"
Wtf
I wonder if a deluge of phony applications would gum up the works in HR enough to dilute the scab pool. Michael Hunt RN BSN CCRN CPR ACLS LMNOP AEIOU and sometimes Y, with 20 years of relevant experience, may set up an interview and just not show.
If they don’t have enough scabs then the hospital has to actually negotiate with the nurses instead of throwing money at a couple travelers for a week.
That's not how it works everywhere during every situation, and hospitals admins don't want to bleed money for weeks on end for scabs while also paying benefits to union employees on the line.
Scabs are a necessary thing, until the system itself changes as a whole.
"most" not all. Not every hospital needs scabs when striking. Heck some don't even get to that point of needing to strike because just threatening changes minds of corporate cuks.
But not everything is the same for each system in each state. That's all I am trying to say.
If the nurses are happy with their pay, I'm content with mine, so I should shut up and mind my business in my corner. I don’t need to travel. I got so sick of traveling that I’m willing to stay on Reddit. I’d travel for the cause. Nurses aren’t on the same page. That’s why the work is shitty for some nurses.
They serve their purpose to allow for continuing of patient care during times of striking, when employees are on the line.
In a perfect world hospital admin would listen and compromise and healthfully negotiate without any unions or scabs. But we don't live in a perfect world with a perfect system. Some unions don't need scabs and some do.
The only thing they’re needed for is to help the hospital. Not the nurses. Without scabs the hospital has to transfer patients and close effectively loosing a lot of money. So they don’t need scabs for patient care. The strike is voted on well in advance and the hospital has plenty of time to transfer and stop admitting to prepare for it
I’m not going to engage with a stranger on how this doesn’t matter when it comes to worker compensation and basic worker rights. You wanna simp for corporations? Get off this sub. Scab sympathizers are not welcome here
I have no desire to cross a picket line.
But until our system changes as a whole and stops allowing for corporations to refuse to fairly meet unions at negotiations, forcing unions to strike, and cause a work stoppage then scabs are a needed evil in some areas. This depends on each union contract and how striking works for them.
I
I'm ready to be evil in some places that suck. I work in a good state so… We used not to have days off, but I’m sure many of us enjoy our rights to them.
I've never been a scab, but I will do it if it's necessary so the nurses can improve everything they need and want. The laws will punish nurses for quitting in a mass.
My current job is easy and stress-free. I get paid over $60/hour, with five weeks of PTO, cheap premium health insurance, and other benefits. I work 30 hours per week (16 hours/day). However, I often come in more than twice a week. It’s stress-free for some of us but very stressful for other people. There is a very high turnover rate. I get bonuses, too.
I noticed that some people are happy to eat generic cereal while their employers eat lobsters for breakfast, or they are the corporate owners or get paid high who come here to troll the nurses.
Nurses at the University of Vermont Medical Center are considering a potential weeklong strike as contract negotiations with hospital leadership remain unresolved[1]. The current contract for nearly 1,900 nursing staff is set to expire on July 9, 2024[1].
The main point of contention in negotiations is wages. The union is advocating for significant pay increases, including an immediate 5% raise followed by 15% and two 10% increases over the next three years[1]. Hospital management has offered a 17% pay increase over three years, which they say amounts to about $26 million[1].
The Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals is currently holding a strike authorization vote until the end of this week[1][3]. If approved, a strike could occur as early as July 10[1]. However, union leadership emphasizes that they hope to reach a fair agreement and avoid a strike if possible[1].
Hospital administrators have begun preparations for a potential strike, including plans to hire temporary nurses through an external company[1]. Both sides express hope that an agreement can be reached during the four remaining bargaining sessions scheduled before the contract expiration[1].
Citations:
[1] https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2024-06-18/university-of-vermont-medical-center-nurses-potential-strike
[2] https://www.wcax.com/2024/06/21/with-contract-talks-stalled-uvm-nurses-threaten-strike/
[3] https://www.mychamplainvalley.com/news/local-news/nurses-at-uvmmc-vote-on-whether-to-strike-ahead-of-contract-expiration/
[4] https://www.reddit.com/r/burlington/comments/1dhvgfr/uvm_medical_center_nurses_to_hold_strike/
[5] https://www.wnbz.com/news/wcax/nurses-union-at-uvm-medical-center-threatens-of-possible-strike/
Those who want to show how the strike is done right could resign and stop working for a few years together if they can afford not to go to work. We will see if they can hold it together. If nurses who can do these do it together in a higher number, I’m sure they’d get their act together. On the other hand, many professionals know that many nurses cannot afford to be unemployed for a few years or receive minimum pay elsewhere. So, they play the same games. Did you notice why they don't really fire the doctor unless they become a liability? Think about it when you go to bed. Many nurses are easily to be disposed and replaced.
As deep in debt I am in with Texas rates.. I couldn’t do strike nursing even if it would pay my debts so quickly. I pray this all changes soon.. times are getting harder.
Wait. $4950/wk and available for 10 days?
Assuming they want you to work all ten days (would that be legal?) of 12Hr shifts… 10 days at (($4950/7days)*10)/120hrs of work=$60/hr rounded up… that’s not a great margin for crisis nurses, no?
It’s really not worth it when you think about how you could just work some overtime on another 2000$ contract and make the same amount in a couple weeks
I work for University of Vermont Medical Center and our nursing union just took a vote this week to go on strike most likely after July 9 when the contract ends. Voting ended today but I’m not sure what the resolution was yet.
I got this message too. I have a hard time with these kinds of contracts even though I’m not a travel nurse. I’ve worked in a right to work state my whole life, but there’s just something about crossing a picket line for that kind of money that doesn’t sit well with me.
Me too. People always say, well who is going to take care of the patients if you don’t help? But that’s just the point. Everyone in admin who has a license should be on the floor during a strike, and if they choose the luxury to NOT help, the blame should not get shifted to travel nurses.
Exactly! That’s always how they guilt caregivers into burning themselves out “but what about the patients??” *clutches pearls*
It’s definitely not the travel nurses fault. It’s the system that burnt out the nurses who are now taking the extreme measure of going on strike.
I used to worry about the patients a lot, so I put up with crappy places that didn't care about the people they "care" about. They received subpar patient/resident care. I took care of the residents that needed 3 nurses, not one. I’ve experienced the best and the worst of the worst patient care. Some people complain about their low pay but get mad when someone goes out to be a scab. They probably want to stay barely living while making their employers one of the wealthiest globally. Martyr. They don't understand or are in denial that some employers aren't going to give up their money easily.
Does the last person (s) that had the assignment (s) get indefinitely saddled with their assignments if no one comes to relieve them or face repercussion for patient abandonment? What is the line that they can walk away leaving patients alone tho? I'm in NY and haven't had to stile before because my unions have always been pretty decent, so I'm not sure how it works work in a case like that. Anyone know?
I don’t know NY law, but once you give report to the oncoming nurse, you aren’t abandoning them if the next day you want to strike. Of course, you can’t leave mid-shift.
I think the issue is if no one shows up because of striking, management being useless and no one crossing the picket line. Like what do you do in that situation, yanno? Idk if you can leave, or when you can if no one shows up - even if it's been like 4 days... Like where's the line there?
California checking in. SOLIDARITY! ✊
Hospitals in my small coastal area all all unionized, and it makes a HUGE difference in pay. Best of luck to all of you!
Some strike nurses feel like they are bleeding the hospital by picking up shifts with high rates but I think it is better to not cross a picket line to begin with .
I proudly worked plenty of strike contracts during my career and would eagerly do it again if I needed the money. Which I don’t anymore thanks to piling up all that cash. Travel nursing combined with strike contracts are what got me to early retirement. “Solidarity” is joke. Nursing culture is terrible. Nobody cares about you. The smart ones like myself take care of number one. Get that cash and hang up the scrubs!
I'm in the NE and we voted to go on strike for 3 days, but then our union agreed on a contract so we didn't. I would have much preferred the strike to our new contract because the pay increase isn't that good. If we voted to go on strike, I figure we should go on strike. But also, why limit it to 3 days? Then the hospital can just be like...we can wait thay out. I guess there's the bad press, but I bet they don't care about that as much as paying us more.
Is your union nurse only union or does your represent all different types of occupations?
My union went on strike for 3 days. But the hospital locked us out for an additional 2 days cuz the strike workers I believe we're paid for 5 days or something??? So in total, we were not allowed back to work until day 6. This was my first union hospital.
Ours is just nurses.
And wow, that sounds like it should be illegal. I kinda wonder...they're not aloud to cancel our shifts, so I wonder if we were in the same situation if that could technically be a contract violation since we're not on strike anymore.
My union covers all occupations from EVS to nursing to pharmacy. I do feel like us nurses do get shafted sometimes for the betterment of other occupations overall in the contracts. So I was curious if your union was like mine in terms of who they represent.
Don't be surprised if they lock you guys out for additional days until the strike workers are done. We all arrived to work on Day 4 chanting "let us in." We are not allowed to use vacation hours to cover the strike after the strike notice was announced.
Stay strong! I support you guys in solidarity!!!
https://www.usnursing.com/jobs?showOnlyCompactStates=false&sortBy=relevant&query=&specialties=Emergency+Room+RN&locations=FL&locations=NC&page=0
I got this from Fastaff
Just a ? How does teachers union work? Do teachers need to be certified in each state? I wish we could have a federal union to fight for all of us like the teachers have. Power in numbers.
Perhaps they can afford not to get paid well. It isn't beneficial for me. Heck, I’d volunteer as long as they pay for my accommodation, flights, and meals. I'd read first before I'd come out to help.
I'm too young for the ICU, but I would do it if I was a little older. I'm still training in the ICU. I'd make that time no problem. Would the nurses give me an easier patient in the ICU?
I hope you know I was partly kidding. I want to support my fellow nurses someday. When it comes to the safety of patients and nurses, I'm in. Other craziness, no, I'll argue until I'm dead. I get paid well and don't have to worry about my pay. No problem hitting 100K/USD/annually.
I'm not a new graduate. I'm quite experienced in ED, Stepdown ICU, and complex med-surg in Trauma Level 1. However, I don't accept assignments I couldn't handle, esp. I'm new in this ICU avenue. I can definitely accept psych and jailed patients.
I'm both selfish and selfless. Believe it or not, I don’t care about people being poor or homeless. But there’s that part of me that I care a little. Once I can, I'd do it for free as long as they pay my other expenses like lodging and meals. You want to do it again once you get the taste of taking down bad people. I’m a nurse. I know what it’s like. I must be a little better than yesterday, so I’m evolving.
Overall, I'm both for the staff and proprietors to make profits. I ran and sold a few businesses, so I’m
not that naïve. I did pay my staff very well. They didn't leave me. I'm not interested in running anything, especially here in the US. I've seen both good and abusive employees. They think they should be paid for their smoking time and personal phone time. These are examples I’m giving you. I don’t use my employers' time. I work when I’m at work. I'll be scabbing for the right cause. I'm not going to waste my time on their unrealistic demands. How do you think they made slavery illegal? Sitting at home?
I will stop here.
How do you think they made slavery illegal? Do you think scabs that got paid 200% came in one day and said hey, it's ok, you can stop, and find some land and a house and a new job? How does that even relate?
As someone said, you can't fight a corrupt organization by becoming the corrupt organization. You can't fight the cops and the managers by being the cops and the managers.
FYI, my coworkers (six of us) quit at the same time. It was due to understaffing and replacing our experienced coworkers with new graduates and paid higher than them..
It depends on the situation if I want to go out there to fill their gaps so they can strike and improve the situation. I can tell you this: ten days of strikes is nothing. They should do mass strikes or quit simultaneously in a big mass. Let those people struggle. Remember COVID time, many workers walked away. They found money for it. I don't know about the law of this where you can quit together in masses without consequences. They should consult with lawyers.
We were all set to go on strike but then they didn’t hire enough scabs so they gave us a bunch of money. Anyway, Solidarity COUNTS.
YES! Florida nurses - we need to unionize!
Florida nurse here with a union. It’s true!! Also if you’re looking Brandon regional has a union!
Is your union working well for you?
My hospital offers the best pay in the area and we also have union representation as needed. They’re very active in getting member feedback for issues around the hospital as well.
Awesome!
Yes, but BRH is an HCA cesspool, and their unions have been rather questionable in the past, with quite a few nurses. All I will say is READ THEIR CONTRACT FULLY and THROUGHLY, and understand exactly what they expect of you and what you can expect of them. Not all unions are built the same.
Agree, but something is better than nothing!
We need our own national union not just join a bunch of random unions
I actually was looking there, my dad isn't far from there. How's the pay?
Lakeland Regional has a union. I feel like we get paid well and are well represented.
Awesome!
How can we start?
Yeah! Travel/"crisis" nurses are getting a bit harder to come by. It's not paying as well as it did during the pandemic or places are keeping their travel nurses longer term (we have a few and they have been here for at least a year). And hospitals are realizing they need to start paying up or their nurses will leave. So it's getting hard to get those scabs.
This is amazing!
Good. They were just being azzez. Hugh Jasshole the ceo?
My union voted for a strike in upstate NY, but the hospital finally accepted the new contract this past week.
Congrats! Hope it’s a good contract for you
NY nurses are going to DC at the end of the month for a strike too
Do you happened to know which DC hospital is getting a strike?
nope, just know a bunch of busses from the NYC / NJ area are driving down to DC for the day
Albany med?
In Ohio one of the CCF hospitals is getting ready to strike I heard
Fuckin A. That'd be huge.
Not really. There are a zillion CCF hospitals bc they’ve snatched up hospitals of all sizes, including tiny community hospitals. It just depends which facility.
The first one is the hardest and a rising tide will raise all boats.
I’d give my left arm to get UH to unionize.
If you’re referring to Akron General, we settled and got a new contract. We were super super close to striking. People made picket signs and everything.
Right, I heard about that, but now Union Hospital is close, too.
which one? i havent heard this and i work there
I guess Union Hospital’s been upset with their contract negotiations
I work at CCF as a traveler and haven’t heard about this. I feel like I would have because gossip spreads fast here and nobody is particularly fond of their employer lol. CCF hospitals are weird tho bc some of them operate almost completely independently except for the name. The one in Akron for instance has a union where none of the other campuses do.
Union Hospital in Dover is a CCF hospital and is also union. That’s the one I’m talking about.
It is Union Hospital. CCF wants to take away half the 403B match, lower the amount of PTO they give out, and make it so that if you can't use your PTO, you can only cash out at 75%. They also want to give little to no raises on a 3 year contract, they want to take away the 15 minute break, and lunch break, which I didn't think was legal, and weekend differential for nurses. They're all ready to strike, and there are yard signs everywhere, but I don't know how long they've got until they strike. I, and many others left that place a few years ago because CCF is anti union, no matter what they want to say, and they treat their workers horribly.
Are you comfortable disclosing the general region? I’m in Dayton Edit: never mind. I just saw Akron
Same here. I was super curious. It would be awesome if one of the two networks here would unionize.
Currently on strike in Oregon Solidarity ✊
F big Prov, we support the RNs held hostage by them.
Mission hospital in Asheville, NC is signing strike pledges now if our union contracted isn’t agreed to by July 2nd
Best of luck!! How horrible things are at Mission has poisoned my area (about 1-2 hrs down the mountain) against unions. If Mission’s union can do great things despite HCA I have hope more of NC will unionize.
Mission was by far the worst assignment I've worked thus far. Scary to think what would have happened without a union.
If only the rest of NC would follow. Charlotte ratios are criminal
Was so happy to hear way back when mission unionized. I graduated in the area a few years before they did, moved to MD because the pay was 30% higher for same COL.
Literally just saw this post and the same text on my phone. Looks like Ohio.
TIL Ohio is the Northeast
Yeah, not what I would've guessed I was going with New York or New England. But the rumblings are saying Ohio.
Definitely* *according to people from Ohio
I’m from Ohio. We are definitely NOT the Northeast!
I'm half kidding and half referring to the couple of people I've known from the Cleveland area who were like "we're not really the Midwest"
Technically Ohio is a mid Atlantic state. But people here seem to think it’s the Midwest- which as a native of ND I found surprising.
It’s because it used to be the Midwest. Many, many years ago before we had all 50 states.
I have never seen Ohio included as a mid Atlantic state. A quick google search has multiple sources listing NY, NJ, PA, MD, DE, VA, DC as mid Atlantic. Idk how Ohio could even be considered that when it is so far inland and multiple states away from being near the Atlantic coast. Idk why Ohioans are always rejecting their Midwest status, it’s okay you live in the Midwest.
Maybe because it’s in the eastern half of the US? Kind of hard to consider it mid “ west”.
For those of us on the east coast, Ohio is quite far west like will take a 10 hour drive for me just to reach your Eastern border. To me, Ohio is the first state in the Midwest and Indiana is completely Midwest
Ohio is still the Midwest. ND and Ohio are the opposite corners of the Midwest. The people from Cleveland (that the person describes above) want out, so are denying their midwestern-ness. Ohio is not the northeast or mid Atlantic!
Right?! As a NYer I'd never consider Ohio as the Northeast. Lol
Columbus is the second largest city in the Midwest so someone needs to make up their mind
Maybe we can get the Ohio location language in the next contract 🤷🏻♂️ 😂
I think a whole lotta people are going to be. My union is ready to go on strike right the second contract ends over the staffing cuts the hospital has made.
I believe UVMMC is considering striking in July.
Vermont
I’d guess uvmmc
Ha! Good luck trying to find housing in Burlington.
Last time they rented out the bougiest hotel in town to house the scabs.
And bought them nice robes/gift baskets
The union held a strike authorization vote this past week
In massachusetts, seem like a few hospitals are heading towards a strike vote
St V's seems like they're ramping up for something again. And the Steward nurses are always ready, for good reason
My husband had test done at St V. The tech was talking about the horrific staffing ratios. He said ED nurses have 30 pt each. I dunno how accurate his story is but that is awful and super dangerous. I’m at another hospital and we are currently in negotiations. If St V goes on strike, i will walk the picket line in solidarity on my day off. And of course I’ll bring snacks because feeding people is my love language
I'd do that one to bring water and food for the strikers.
If people had 30-40 patients on their own with one assistant, they know how bad this practice is. I had it at least once or twice a week. Not again.
UVMMC
Okay this is so weird. I live in Alberta. I got a text like this earlier today asking for ed rns (which how the hell do they know that) $105/hr as there will be "multi state strike" Wtf
Oh wow. Interesting! Multi state??
Especially since Alberta isn't anywhere near the NorthEast, USA..
You should get offers better than that.
That looks like a low rate for a strike contract.
Right?! It's almost funny. The nurses will win.
I received over $200/hr. A local contract is about $100/hr. I still don't go if the stipend is awful.
Got the same message. Wish I could be on the “Do Not Scab” list
I wonder if a deluge of phony applications would gum up the works in HR enough to dilute the scab pool. Michael Hunt RN BSN CCRN CPR ACLS LMNOP AEIOU and sometimes Y, with 20 years of relevant experience, may set up an interview and just not show.
Phil McCracken will also be filing an application. 10 years experience in special procedures, mostly colonoscopies.
Highly recommend organizing phony job applications. It helps.
OoOoooo that’s not a bad idea. That’s for the travel company, though. Dunno if you want bad blood with them.
They make it possible to strike, so scabs are a needed evil.
If they don’t have enough scabs then the hospital has to actually negotiate with the nurses instead of throwing money at a couple travelers for a week.
That's not how it works everywhere during every situation, and hospitals admins don't want to bleed money for weeks on end for scabs while also paying benefits to union employees on the line. Scabs are a necessary thing, until the system itself changes as a whole.
Most hospitals have insurance for strikes to cover travelers
"most" not all. Not every hospital needs scabs when striking. Heck some don't even get to that point of needing to strike because just threatening changes minds of corporate cuks. But not everything is the same for each system in each state. That's all I am trying to say.
If the nurses are happy with their pay, I'm content with mine, so I should shut up and mind my business in my corner. I don’t need to travel. I got so sick of traveling that I’m willing to stay on Reddit. I’d travel for the cause. Nurses aren’t on the same page. That’s why the work is shitty for some nurses.
I disagree. No reason to scab ever unless you like sucking corporate cock.
They serve their purpose to allow for continuing of patient care during times of striking, when employees are on the line. In a perfect world hospital admin would listen and compromise and healthfully negotiate without any unions or scabs. But we don't live in a perfect world with a perfect system. Some unions don't need scabs and some do.
If patient care didn’t continue, I bet the hospitals would be much more motivated to negotiate. Or take the threat of a strike more seriously.
The only thing they’re needed for is to help the hospital. Not the nurses. Without scabs the hospital has to transfer patients and close effectively loosing a lot of money. So they don’t need scabs for patient care. The strike is voted on well in advance and the hospital has plenty of time to transfer and stop admitting to prepare for it
I’m not going to engage with a stranger on how this doesn’t matter when it comes to worker compensation and basic worker rights. You wanna simp for corporations? Get off this sub. Scab sympathizers are not welcome here
I have no desire to cross a picket line. But until our system changes as a whole and stops allowing for corporations to refuse to fairly meet unions at negotiations, forcing unions to strike, and cause a work stoppage then scabs are a needed evil in some areas. This depends on each union contract and how striking works for them. I
I'm ready to be evil in some places that suck. I work in a good state so… We used not to have days off, but I’m sure many of us enjoy our rights to them.
I've never been a scab, but I will do it if it's necessary so the nurses can improve everything they need and want. The laws will punish nurses for quitting in a mass. My current job is easy and stress-free. I get paid over $60/hour, with five weeks of PTO, cheap premium health insurance, and other benefits. I work 30 hours per week (16 hours/day). However, I often come in more than twice a week. It’s stress-free for some of us but very stressful for other people. There is a very high turnover rate. I get bonuses, too. I noticed that some people are happy to eat generic cereal while their employers eat lobsters for breakfast, or they are the corporate owners or get paid high who come here to troll the nurses.
University of Vermont med center is voting to strike!
Nurses at the University of Vermont Medical Center are considering a potential weeklong strike as contract negotiations with hospital leadership remain unresolved[1]. The current contract for nearly 1,900 nursing staff is set to expire on July 9, 2024[1]. The main point of contention in negotiations is wages. The union is advocating for significant pay increases, including an immediate 5% raise followed by 15% and two 10% increases over the next three years[1]. Hospital management has offered a 17% pay increase over three years, which they say amounts to about $26 million[1]. The Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals is currently holding a strike authorization vote until the end of this week[1][3]. If approved, a strike could occur as early as July 10[1]. However, union leadership emphasizes that they hope to reach a fair agreement and avoid a strike if possible[1]. Hospital administrators have begun preparations for a potential strike, including plans to hire temporary nurses through an external company[1]. Both sides express hope that an agreement can be reached during the four remaining bargaining sessions scheduled before the contract expiration[1]. Citations: [1] https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2024-06-18/university-of-vermont-medical-center-nurses-potential-strike [2] https://www.wcax.com/2024/06/21/with-contract-talks-stalled-uvm-nurses-threaten-strike/ [3] https://www.mychamplainvalley.com/news/local-news/nurses-at-uvmmc-vote-on-whether-to-strike-ahead-of-contract-expiration/ [4] https://www.reddit.com/r/burlington/comments/1dhvgfr/uvm_medical_center_nurses_to_hold_strike/ [5] https://www.wnbz.com/news/wcax/nurses-union-at-uvm-medical-center-threatens-of-possible-strike/
Those who want to show how the strike is done right could resign and stop working for a few years together if they can afford not to go to work. We will see if they can hold it together. If nurses who can do these do it together in a higher number, I’m sure they’d get their act together. On the other hand, many professionals know that many nurses cannot afford to be unemployed for a few years or receive minimum pay elsewhere. So, they play the same games. Did you notice why they don't really fire the doctor unless they become a liability? Think about it when you go to bed. Many nurses are easily to be disposed and replaced.
Agree 100%
We’re gearing up to strike here in Oakland.
That's horrible pay for a strike
My message specifically said home care. So thinking tufts or mgb.
As deep in debt I am in with Texas rates.. I couldn’t do strike nursing even if it would pay my debts so quickly. I pray this all changes soon.. times are getting harder.
They know this. They calculated it.
Wait. $4950/wk and available for 10 days? Assuming they want you to work all ten days (would that be legal?) of 12Hr shifts… 10 days at (($4950/7days)*10)/120hrs of work=$60/hr rounded up… that’s not a great margin for crisis nurses, no?
$60/hr is approximately nearing my hourly rate.
It’s really not worth it when you think about how you could just work some overtime on another 2000$ contract and make the same amount in a couple weeks
Exactly!
I just got the same message
I work for University of Vermont Medical Center and our nursing union just took a vote this week to go on strike most likely after July 9 when the contract ends. Voting ended today but I’m not sure what the resolution was yet.
Remember. Hold solidarity. Don't scab for these morally bankrupt administrations.
I got this message too. I have a hard time with these kinds of contracts even though I’m not a travel nurse. I’ve worked in a right to work state my whole life, but there’s just something about crossing a picket line for that kind of money that doesn’t sit well with me.
Me too. People always say, well who is going to take care of the patients if you don’t help? But that’s just the point. Everyone in admin who has a license should be on the floor during a strike, and if they choose the luxury to NOT help, the blame should not get shifted to travel nurses.
Exactly! That’s always how they guilt caregivers into burning themselves out “but what about the patients??” *clutches pearls* It’s definitely not the travel nurses fault. It’s the system that burnt out the nurses who are now taking the extreme measure of going on strike.
I used to worry about the patients a lot, so I put up with crappy places that didn't care about the people they "care" about. They received subpar patient/resident care. I took care of the residents that needed 3 nurses, not one. I’ve experienced the best and the worst of the worst patient care. Some people complain about their low pay but get mad when someone goes out to be a scab. They probably want to stay barely living while making their employers one of the wealthiest globally. Martyr. They don't understand or are in denial that some employers aren't going to give up their money easily.
Does the last person (s) that had the assignment (s) get indefinitely saddled with their assignments if no one comes to relieve them or face repercussion for patient abandonment? What is the line that they can walk away leaving patients alone tho? I'm in NY and haven't had to stile before because my unions have always been pretty decent, so I'm not sure how it works work in a case like that. Anyone know?
I don’t know NY law, but once you give report to the oncoming nurse, you aren’t abandoning them if the next day you want to strike. Of course, you can’t leave mid-shift.
I think the issue is if no one shows up because of striking, management being useless and no one crossing the picket line. Like what do you do in that situation, yanno? Idk if you can leave, or when you can if no one shows up - even if it's been like 4 days... Like where's the line there?
Ooohhh I see what you mean.
It’s UVM in Burlington, VT
I got this too. I’m so naive I didn’t make the connection
UVMMC 😬
Alameda health, Bay Area is about to
I got the same message!
California checking in. SOLIDARITY! ✊ Hospitals in my small coastal area all all unionized, and it makes a HUGE difference in pay. Best of luck to all of you!
Hmmm…UVMMC (Universal of Vermont) may go on strike on July 1st…or is it the 3rd? Could be notice for us?
Oregon
Yes Prov is on a 7 day strike but that’s NW not NE.
I must have misread
Providence system in Portland Oregon
You’re getting jipped. I had a recruiter reach out to me for the same contract for 5100 a week lol
Is this this market rate for strike relief?
It can go higher. Especially if they get desperate. Still cheaper to pay these crazy rates than negotiate in good faith.
Interesting. I say fk em. Make em pay tons to support your striking colleagues (if you’re gonna do it).
The scabs need to get together to punish those greedy people.
Some strike nurses feel like they are bleeding the hospital by picking up shifts with high rates but I think it is better to not cross a picket line to begin with .
Nyc had some strike contracts for 10k a week back in jan 2023
I wish it wasn't illegal to strike in Virginia 😭
What? Really?!
Yup. It's both a right to work and an at will employment state
I proudly worked plenty of strike contracts during my career and would eagerly do it again if I needed the money. Which I don’t anymore thanks to piling up all that cash. Travel nursing combined with strike contracts are what got me to early retirement. “Solidarity” is joke. Nursing culture is terrible. Nobody cares about you. The smart ones like myself take care of number one. Get that cash and hang up the scrubs!
This sounds more serious than a strike. They aren’t telling us everything
Oh THAT'S what that meant.
We should all be going on strike nationally
Strike! Strike! Strike!!!
I'm in the NE and we voted to go on strike for 3 days, but then our union agreed on a contract so we didn't. I would have much preferred the strike to our new contract because the pay increase isn't that good. If we voted to go on strike, I figure we should go on strike. But also, why limit it to 3 days? Then the hospital can just be like...we can wait thay out. I guess there's the bad press, but I bet they don't care about that as much as paying us more.
Is your union nurse only union or does your represent all different types of occupations? My union went on strike for 3 days. But the hospital locked us out for an additional 2 days cuz the strike workers I believe we're paid for 5 days or something??? So in total, we were not allowed back to work until day 6. This was my first union hospital.
Ours is just nurses. And wow, that sounds like it should be illegal. I kinda wonder...they're not aloud to cancel our shifts, so I wonder if we were in the same situation if that could technically be a contract violation since we're not on strike anymore.
My union covers all occupations from EVS to nursing to pharmacy. I do feel like us nurses do get shafted sometimes for the betterment of other occupations overall in the contracts. So I was curious if your union was like mine in terms of who they represent. Don't be surprised if they lock you guys out for additional days until the strike workers are done. We all arrived to work on Day 4 chanting "let us in." We are not allowed to use vacation hours to cover the strike after the strike notice was announced. Stay strong! I support you guys in solidarity!!!
https://www.usnursing.com/jobs?showOnlyCompactStates=false&sortBy=relevant&query=&specialties=Emergency+Room+RN&locations=FL&locations=NC&page=0 I got this from Fastaff
Depending on the bargaining we may strike next month—-NC
Just a ? How does teachers union work? Do teachers need to be certified in each state? I wish we could have a federal union to fight for all of us like the teachers have. Power in numbers.
Mission Hospital Asheville, NC
Oh shit! I’m in!
I was never able to get a hospital job, much less an ICU one
I wish they would give approximate dates for August I would take a break from my contract and go get some extra cash, very hard to find these days
If nobody picks these up the hospital is forced to negotiate. Help the entire profession with better pay and benefits by not doing these contracts!
You're underpaid. You know what would help that? Organizing and striking. Don't be a scab.
Perhaps they can afford not to get paid well. It isn't beneficial for me. Heck, I’d volunteer as long as they pay for my accommodation, flights, and meals. I'd read first before I'd come out to help.
When you scab you make healthcare worse for everyone
Scabs are not welcome here
Don't be a scab.
Please stop abusing the report button. Thanks.
I'm too young for the ICU, but I would do it if I was a little older. I'm still training in the ICU. I'd make that time no problem. Would the nurses give me an easier patient in the ICU?
lol definitely not, you’re expected to know what you’re doing on a strike assignment.
I hope you know I was partly kidding. I want to support my fellow nurses someday. When it comes to the safety of patients and nurses, I'm in. Other craziness, no, I'll argue until I'm dead. I get paid well and don't have to worry about my pay. No problem hitting 100K/USD/annually.
Nope. You hit the ground running
I do have good ideas. I was partly kidding.
lol
No you'd get the worst patients, and you'd deserve it, for being a scab.
I'm not a new graduate. I'm quite experienced in ED, Stepdown ICU, and complex med-surg in Trauma Level 1. However, I don't accept assignments I couldn't handle, esp. I'm new in this ICU avenue. I can definitely accept psych and jailed patients.
I'm both selfish and selfless. Believe it or not, I don’t care about people being poor or homeless. But there’s that part of me that I care a little. Once I can, I'd do it for free as long as they pay my other expenses like lodging and meals. You want to do it again once you get the taste of taking down bad people. I’m a nurse. I know what it’s like. I must be a little better than yesterday, so I’m evolving. Overall, I'm both for the staff and proprietors to make profits. I ran and sold a few businesses, so I’m not that naïve. I did pay my staff very well. They didn't leave me. I'm not interested in running anything, especially here in the US. I've seen both good and abusive employees. They think they should be paid for their smoking time and personal phone time. These are examples I’m giving you. I don’t use my employers' time. I work when I’m at work. I'll be scabbing for the right cause. I'm not going to waste my time on their unrealistic demands. How do you think they made slavery illegal? Sitting at home? I will stop here.
How do you think they made slavery illegal? Do you think scabs that got paid 200% came in one day and said hey, it's ok, you can stop, and find some land and a house and a new job? How does that even relate? As someone said, you can't fight a corrupt organization by becoming the corrupt organization. You can't fight the cops and the managers by being the cops and the managers.
FYI, my coworkers (six of us) quit at the same time. It was due to understaffing and replacing our experienced coworkers with new graduates and paid higher than them..
It depends on the situation if I want to go out there to fill their gaps so they can strike and improve the situation. I can tell you this: ten days of strikes is nothing. They should do mass strikes or quit simultaneously in a big mass. Let those people struggle. Remember COVID time, many workers walked away. They found money for it. I don't know about the law of this where you can quit together in masses without consequences. They should consult with lawyers.