Buying the Cow

Jordan: Let me introduce myself. I'm an Enloe RN since 1981. I work in Cardiac Rehab. I'm also Chief Nurse rep for CNA at Enloe. That's a volunteer position that is what most unions would call a shop steward. I also sit on the state board of directors for CNA, elected by other nurses throughout our region. That board sets the policy for CNA which is then carried out by hired staff. Each of us is a working staff nurse. I'm also on the bargaining team which is negotiating our contract.
I appreciate your comments on what you think is important in the contract. It's pretty close to our list of priorities too.
I assume you are a smart guy and I also assume your basic honesty. However I have to challnge you on a few things, since you seem to have made an intentional choice to be ignorant about yur union and in at least one case to outright lie about it.
The last one first: When has CNA "promised" to get anything in particular out of these negotiations? I challenge you to come up with a single instance where we have promised you any result. I have written almost everything we've sent out or handed out on the bargaining and I know for certain we haven't promised anything. We've talked a lot about what our proposals are. We've also said over and over again that our ability to get any of those things is totally dependant on the amount of support we have from our members. There is not a single thing we can do at the table to move the hospital's position on any issue. Only the support of the members can do that. When a nurse wears a union button or shows up for a rally, it directly increases the chances we'll be able to move management on the issues you care about. When a member attacks us, it directly reduces those chances. So by publishing the kind of things you have, you have made it harder for us to get the things you care about.
You also say you don't trust CNA to have your interests at heart. Who do you think is at the table? There is one union staff member, who provides his experience and expertise. There are also six Enloe nurses. The six of us make all the decisions about what to propose, what to accept from management, when to compromise and when to hold firm. One of us is from your department - Shannon Moore. I'm sure Shannon will be interested to hear that you don't trust her. We have the same interests you have. Why would any of us have any different interests?
We've made a huge effort to keep people informed about this process - We send out mail and e-mail, hold meetings and talk to anyone willing to listen. I've given most of my free time for the last several months to the process. It is in your self interest to be informed but you have apparently made the choice to be as ignorant as possible. Open up your mind and learn a little bit. You might be surprised.

David, glad to see you post. I think you misunderstand me, and it's partially my fault.

I regret saying that the CNA has promised me anything, because you're right, I've read all of the fliers sent out and attended a few functions and never have you promised anything. Instead, like you say, you push home the point that the union is only as strong as it's supporters. I realize too that you cannot force Enloe to do anything that it doesn't want to do (though a strike or the threat thereof is pretty forceful). Your power is in negotiation, bargaining, and the Democratic process, which is as it should be, when we begin to resort to wanton use of force as a first line, we dissolve as a society.

Let me now address this trust issue. I never said I didn't trust you or Shannon. I realize that you both, as well as the others on your team are doing all you can to get all we're entitled to. My concern is that CNA as an entity doesn't have my interests first. CNA is a business, and as such their primary concern is their own survival and advancement, which makes sense. But having their own interest in mind primarily leaves me somewhere behind.

I've spoken with Shannon a couple of times about my concerns with negotiations, progress, lack of progress, and what our options are in the future. The fact that Enloe nurses do not have a contract and that negotiations are at a stalemate is of great concern to me. I believe that we are not being treated fairly by our employer and that improvements need to be made. I believe that our negotiation team is doing all it can. I am very concerned over what could happen if we came down to a strike, and what my position will be. While I believe that our power is in unity and that I need to stand up and work for what I want I also believe, equally, that my first obligation when it comes to my employment at Enloe hospital is for the patients whom I'm duty-bound to care for. I took an obligation to care for patients, no matter what, and I take that very very seriously. I don't mean to imply that you and other nurses don't, I speak only for myself. I don't know that I could stand on a picket line knowing that my absence is causing increased wait time or distress to the patients I'm sworn to care for. I feel stuck in the middle, and I hate it.

David, I know you and your team are working hard. I know that this is a tough situation for all involved, for Enloe too. I read every piece of literature that comes my way about the negotiations, from CNA and from Enloe and I base my opinions on that. I consider myself open minded and willing to change my stance on a subject if new information proves my old opinion to be wrong. I would like to know more about what is going on, what direction we're heading in, and what our options are. I realize that you're busy working and negotiating but if you find time to drop me a phone call or email so we can discuss this further that would be fantastic. If you'd like to meet in person that's fine too. I'll buy the coffee.

Jordan: This dialogue is kind of fun. I hope someone besides you and I is reading it. I appreciate your thoughts and corrections.
As to CNA being a business, that is more management propaganda. Businesses exist to make a profit for their owners. No one "owns" CNA except its members and no one is making a profit. Unions exist to serve the needs of their members - or they should. All too many unions in the US have in fact been run like businesses. The leadership and staff can come to see themselves as owners and run the union for their benefit to the detriment of the members. It's happened way too much, which is part of the reason the American labor movement is in the sorry state it is today.
CNA is a very different thing. There is an old adage that the world is run by those who show up. CNA is probably the best example of this you'll ever see. When we organized in 2000, I got pretty involved in the campaign. After that I stayed involved. Then in 2003 an election came around for the board of directors. There was a seat open for this region. I ran for it and won. I got re-elected last year and then elected from the board to the executive board which is a group of 10 nurses who make policy in between the regular quarterly board meetings.
Every two years there is a House of Delegates. This is sort of the constitutional convention of the organization. It decides things like changes in the bylaws. From our region, every nurse who chose to run ended up getting seated in the house. So you didn't have to have a power base or be an insider to get there, you just had to take the time to participate. Because we did get involved, Enloe was better represented than almost any other hospital our size.
I'm probably rambling here, but I guess the main point is that this organization really is democratic. It really is run by and for its members. Every one of us on the board and exec board are working direct care nurses. Anyone who believes the organization is going in a wrong direction can participate in the process and try to change it.

Of course staff are important in the organization. We hire the best people we can to do the work on a daily basis. They're paid decently and get very good benefits because we believe all workers should get those things. But the financial controls are incredibley tight. No one is getting rich off the organization. I can personally testify that every staff member works amazingly hard for us, and the people at the top most of all. I can send e-mails to senior staff late at night or on holidays and be pretty sure I'll get an answer back fast. They're a fantasic group.