Pros And Cons Of Nurse Unions

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1. Are labor organizations for professional groups, such as nurses, relevant/obsolete? The amount of professionals that are in unions has decreased drastically over the past thirty years. In 1983, 20.1% of American employees belonged to a union and in 2016 the percentage dropped to 10.7% (Gerardo, 2017). However, the percentage of RNs who belong to a union is 18%. When it comes to nurses unions and unions in general, there are pros and cons. The first pro is job security. It is important to note that most union contracts prohibit termination without cause. Additionally, unions offer representation for disciplinary actions to make sure there is fair treatment. Next, unions offer better working conditions. Nurses unions advocate for …show more content…
Dawn Depree, director of nursing services, fired off her memo without discussing the situation with Mike Carpenter, director of human resources. Some organizations conduct training programs entitled, “How to Avoid a Union.” What should Mike Carpenter and the administration do to develop a program of this nature? What topics should be included? I do not suggest Mike Carpenter implements a training titled “How to Avoid a Union.” I recommend Lakeview regional hospital focuses on being pro worker, not anti union (Bruce, 2012). Instead of “How to Avoid a Union” training, I recommend Mike Carpenter conducts training to managers on how to communicate unpopular decisions. Often times, unions are formed due to bad relationships between employees and management. This training will focus on delivering unpopular workplace decisions, with the goal of training managers on how to handle these uncomfortable …show more content…
The employees should understand the organization’s view on unionization and express their reasons behind not wanting to join. It is important to note take part in any unfair labor practices. Additionally, employers should emphasize the policies, practices, and culture that exists in your organization. Maybe reminding the employees of the great work place could change their mind. In order to express their opinion legally and fairly, Mike Carpenter should follow the acronym TIPS (SHRM, 2012). TIPS stand for threaten, interrogate, promise, and spy. These are all actions organizations should never do. The T stands for threaten. Organizations could not threaten to terminate or reduce pay for individuals based on their desire to join a union. Next, organizations should be sure not to interrogate. You cannot interrogate employees on their desires to wanting to join a union or for information on their co-workers. The P stands for Promise. When employees are contemplating unionization, you should never promise promotions, raises, or benefits in exchange for not supporting the union. Lastly, the S stands for spy. The employees at Lakeview Regional Hospital have the right to meet with union representatives without management interference. In summary, the best way to handle unionization is to avoid unionization. However, when faced with the “knock on the door” employers should handle the