Understanding Unions
I knew very little about what a nursing labor union was or the pros or cons of being part of a member, and aside from one 2-hour lecture during my first month of nursing school, I had no previous exposure to a nursing union. When joining my first unionized hospital, I had a lot of questions, and I am sure if you are reading this, so do you. So let us get into it.
What is a Labor Union?
According to the U.S. Department of Labor (2021), a labor union is an organized group of employees with the common objective of advancing or improving common interests (i.e., wages, benefits, schedules). All unions are considered democratic organizations that are required by law to have financial transparency, hold fair elections for leadership, and must be in the interest of fair representation for all members (U.S. Department of Labor, 2021). Unions are member-driven entities; these members consist of non-managerial employees working for either a private employer or those run by the government (i.e., federalism state, county, or local).
There is a lot more information about who legally has the right to unionize and what occupations are eligible to become union members. However, I will be focusing on nursing labor unions. If you have more generalized union questions, visit the U.S. Department of Labor Unions 101 (2021) source listed below.
What is Nurse Labor Union? What is their purpose?
The purpose of a nurse labor union is to protect the rights and interests of nurses in the workplace. By joining a union, nurses can collectively negotiate with their employers for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. Unions also provide legal support and representation for nurses who may face unfair treatment or discrimination in the workplace. Additionally, unions advocate for policies and regulations that benefit nurses and the healthcare industry. Ultimately, the goal of a nurse labor union is to ensure that nurses can provide the highest quality care to their patients while being fairly compensated and treated with respect in the workplace.
Pros of Nurse Labor Unions
A summarization of the Pros is written by the author and sourced from Nurse Journal (2022)
Ensure safe working conditions: Unions help set industry standards for nursing working conditions, including safe staffing levels, protection from violence or harassment, break time, etc.
Investigating grievances: Nurses do not have to raise a complaint with management or their superiors alone. The union can investigate and act on nurses’ grievances and, in some cases, can provide legal action if necessary.
Provides Consistent Standards for hiring, promotion, and termination: Union contracts help set industry standards regarding employment, ensuring that everyone is held to the same standards. In addition, they also establish processes for nurse discipline. Ensuring that there is no unfair or inconsistent termination or disciplinary action.
Advocate for better pay and benefits: Nursing unions are huge players when it comes to advocating for better pay and benefits. Ensuring nurses are adequately compensated through higher pay, yearly/bi-yearly raises built-into contracts, and enforcing yearly wage benchmarks are met and raises given. Union advocacy for pay also affects the pay of non-unionized nurses by making non-unionized hospitals increase their base rate of pay in order to stand out in the competitive nursing job market and retain their nurses.
While this is only a short list of nursing union benefits, it is important to understand that there can also be downsides.
Cons of Nurse Labor Unions
A summarization of Cons is written by the author and sourced from Nurse Journal (2022)
Union Fees: The monthly average union fee can be anywhere from double the nurses’ base rate of pay to upwards of 150 U.S. dollars. Union dues can vary depending on the specific union and the collective bargaining agreement negotiated by its members.
Unpaid Strikes: Strikes are a union's most powerful action, but they carry a cost. Striking nurses aren't paid, and some nurses may not personally support the cause behind a strike. Depending on the length of the strike, nurses can go unpaid and without benefits for days to months.
Seniority rewarded over Performances: In most nursing union contracts, promotions and/or raises are based solely on seniority. The person who has worked the longest gets the first chance at a promotion or a larger raise. Many hospitals and unions will also have an advancement ladder that factors education, certifications, and years of experience. Seniority is objective and easy to measure. However, when seniority is the most important factor in promotions, stellar performers receive the same rewards as those who are only adequate workers.
Difference of Opinion with Collective Action: Unions drive their power from collective action; however, ensuring that every member supports all union stances is unrealistic. Most recently, this is evident with the Covid 19 pandemic. Unions started vaccination mandates for healthcare professionals, and while many nurses supported this type of mandate, some opposed it and chose to leave the profession due to this difference of opinion.
Protection of Nurses over Patients: The union’s main objective is to protect nurses and, in doing so, hopefully, protect patients. However, being designed to protect nurses rather than patients can negatively impact patient care. For example, due to standards of termination, it can be difficult to terminate nurses; this may empower nurses who perform poorly.
What union am I a part of?
I am an MHealth Fairview employee and belong to the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) union. Joining a nurse union when joining a hospital is often required for nurses as part of their employment. This means that nurses are typically required to become union members as a condition of their employment in the hospital.
The Minnesota Nurses Association's (2021a) mission statement is: "The Minnesota Nurses Association advances professional nursing through collective bargaining, legislative advocacy, and education to promote quality care for all."
This mission statement highlights the key priorities of the organization, including representing nurses in collective bargaining to ensure fair compensation and safe working conditions, advocating for healthcare policy and legislation to promote quality patient care, and providing educational resources to support the ongoing professional development of nurses. The ultimate goal of MNA's mission is to ensure that all patients in Minnesota have access to safe, high-quality healthcare and that nurses are valued and supported in their critical role in delivering that care.
The MNA is governed by The House of Delegates and is comprised of both the MNA board of directors and delegates elected by the MNA membership. It is the duty of the board of directors that is currently chaired by Mary Turner, RN, and has Rose Roach as the executive director. The board is responsible for the following: (1) guiding the strategic direction of the MNA, (2) overseeing organization finances, (3) serving as the voice of MNA’s members and advocating for the interests of its nurses, (4) support the work of MNA staff and committees, ensuring they have resources they need to be effective, (5) review and approving contracts and agreements, and (6) monitoring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements (Minnesota Nurses Association, 2021b). Overall, the Board of Directors plays a critical role in guiding the strategic direction of the Minnesota Nurses Association and ensuring that it effectively represents and serves its members.
The Minnesota Nurses Association plays a crucial role in representing and advocating for the nursing profession in Minnesota, and it is an important resource for nurses looking to advance their careers and make a difference in their communities. MNA's work benefits not only nurses but also the patients they care for, ensuring that they receive high-quality care from well-supported healthcare professionals.
What is my current opinion on being a member of a nursing labor union?
While I am still new to the world of nursing labor unions, I am currently leaning in favor of being a member. I appreciate the wide range of benefits the union provides me, including improved working conditions, legal protection, and professional development opportunities. Unions can also provide nurses with a collective voice in advocating for their interests, which can help to improve the nursing profession.
References
Minnesota Nurses Association. (2021a). About MNA. https://mnnurses.org/about
Minnesota Nurses Association. (2021b). MNA Structure. https://mnnurses.org/about/mna-structure/
Nurse Journal. (2022). What are the pros and cons of joining a nursing union? Nurse Journal.
https://nursejournal.org/resources/nursing-union-pros-cons/
U.S. Department of Labor. (2021). Unions 101. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.dol.gov/general/workcenter/unions-101