Hello Nurse Alliance Sisters and Brothers

[Omaha Steve]

We're moving toward what could very well be the most important presidential election of our lifetimes. We know now how voting for one candidate over another can have severe impacts on many of our lives. We also know that there is no time left to waste in getting others out there to vote. The RoundUp has covered a lot of our issues and how they do or do not play in national elections.

For this issue, we announce the launch of the brand new SEIU Health and Safety website. This is one of those ongoing projects that I am very fortunate, honored, and humbled to have worked on. My hope is that you will spend time on the site, of course, but also to PARTICIPATE with the site. Write in with article ideas, suggestions, questions ... anything you can do to help us get this resource out to as many SEIU members as possible.

We also have an article on nurses taking the lead on healthcare, a piece about nurses knowing what's best for patients, and information and links to a peer-reviewed article on mandatory flu vaccination. Finally, we have a recap of the Democractc National Convention in case you missed these articles when they first appeared on SEIU.org.

I hope you enjoy this RoundUp so much that you don't even need to be asked, you just click here instantly to send an invite to every SEIU nurse you know to subscribe to the newsletter: https://nursealliance.onlineactions.org/page/share/NARoundupinvite?source=2010NARecap

Until next time,
-Richard

[rapersun]

1. Don't forget accountability in this discussion!

I had been a Union member as a nurse for many years. I've worked in right to work states and a union environment so I've had mixed feelings over the years.

Now, I'm in management and I can really see the dilemma that comes from all this union talk.

I fully and completed still support unions and I want them to stay .......but I also want them to show a lot more accountability and responsibility in their practices.

I again fully support them bargaining for safe working conditions, safe patient care, good wages and benefits.

But what I need from them is their willingness to stand up for what's right. If an employee is wrong, they need to accept their coaching and counseling and their responsibility for what they did wrong. If that simply results in a note in their chart for 1 year and a good learning experience for everyone involved, this should not be fought tooth and nail. With labor-management partnership comes accountability and responsibility in all sides.

And lastly, let's remember all subjects must be focused on patient care and increasing outcomes - doing no harm and working together to make all that happen.

[hay rick]

2. If an employee is wrong.

A manager who issues discipline always thinks that the discipline is fair and the employee was wrong. In a union environment, discipline is a contractual issue and the employee (who often thinks they did nothing wrong) is entitled to representation. It's an adversarial process by design. The union's primary job is to seek the best possible outcome for the employee. Sometimes the best possible outcome includes corrective action.

In my experience, management frequently issues discipline without just cause. Often they lack a correct understanding of the limits of management's rights or they have an inaccurate understanding of the employee's responsibilities. The grievance procedure, particularly when the outcome is arbitrated by an impartial third party, generally serves to educate both sides.