Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/1521816
RNs in Motion » 37 The Organizing Model in Your Facility WORKPLACE ISSUES WITH A UNION, YOU'LL NEVER GO IT ALONE When there's a problem, you can solve it together as a group. Because you speak with one voice, you have a say in decisions that affect you and your patients. Working together, you can make your hospital a better place to work and receive care. With an NNOC contract in place, members have new avenues for solving problems and making improvements every day. We emphasize using the collective power of RNs in our facilities over individual representational methods. This includes creating strong effective Nurse Representative/Shop Steward Councils and Professional Practice Committees (PPCs). This is an important shift away from a legalistic grievance-filing model and toward an organizing model that gets problems resolved early and through group action of nurses. When we organize over issues in the workplace, usually we are fighting to enforce the contract, and other times we fight for things which may not be explicitly covered in the contract but are issues RNs care about. As you become more organized and more accustomed to these sorts of activities, you may find that more and more problems can be resolved without resorting to formal grievances. Your Contract The contract is a kind of historical record of the achieve- ments of the RNs in your facility. It institutionalizes the victories of the past and establishes the minimum that you can expect from your employer. It is a mistake, however, to view the contract as a lifeless document. In the hands of a good nurse representative/shop steward, it is interpreted creatively in the interests of the members. The contract itself is only so many words unless RNs are willing to stand up for their rights. Whom Should You Call? Often there is confusion regarding the difference between the role of the nurse representative/shop steward and that of the Professional Practice Committee. This is not surprising because often the issues they address overlap. » The nurse representative/shop steward primarily deals with contractual problems. » The PPC primarily deals with nursing practice issues. It is important for the nurse representative/shop steward to maintain frequent contact with the PPC. Problems that are not clearly grievable may be subjects for the PPC. Problems such as excess floating, overtime, stand-by and call-back time, or frequently changed schedules are often indicative of staffing problems. The PPC should be aware of these so that the broader issues can be investigated. Conversely, practice issues such as safety hazards may be contractual or legal problems. A SHORT QUIZ There's a problem in your hospital. Perhaps it's a chronic short-staffing issue affecting your entire unit or a written warning you have received from your manager. What do you do first? a) Organize a delegation of nurses to your CNO b) Start a petition c) File a grievance d) Contact your nurse rep/steward Correct answer: d) Contact your nurse rep/steward While you may end up doing any number of the above actions, the first step is to talk to your nurse representative/shop steward. The nurse representative/shop steward is part of a network of NNOC RN leaders in your facility called the Nurse Representa- tive/Shop Steward Council. They have the overview and knowledge of facility-wide issues and concerns that will determine the best approach to solving the problem.