Better Pay and Benefits
Nursing historically has been an undervalued profession. While nursing salaries have come a long way in the last decade or so, they have yet to match the high level of education, skills, and responsibility required of the profession. Now that a serious nursing shortage is emerging, it’s more important than ever to improve nurses’ pay and benefits. Through their unions, nurses are negotiating pay scales and benefit packages that attract and retain nurses.
Here are some of the financial benefits of being a union member:
Above-market salaries.
Unionized nurses consistently negotiate above-market pay scales. In fact, according to the Bureau of National Affairs, nurses who are union members earn an average 13% more than nurses who aren’t. And hospital employees who are union members earn between 13% and 37% more than those who aren’t.
Raises you can count on.
One of the advantages to a union contract is that raises are guaranteed in writing. Union-negotiated raises are not tied to arbitrary and subjective evaluations. Many union contracts call for both annual cost-of-living raises and merit pay increases and guarantee that even employees who are at the top of the scale receive a raise every year.
A pay scale that rewards experience and longevity.
Union-negotiated pay scales eliminate arbitrary disparities and inequities; everyone is covered by the same set of pay steps and criteria for advancement. Most union contracts call for step increases and/or longevity bonuses in addition to regular annual raises to ensure that staff is fairly compensated for experience and length of service.
More compensation for around-the-clock care.
On their own, hospital administrators rarely increase the differentials or premiums paid for evening or weekend work or pay for stand-by status. With a union, nurses and hospital employees negotiate improvements in shift differentials, on-call pay, and other compensation for "around-the-clock" care.
Affordable Health Insurance.
All health care employees should have access to affordable, quality health care themselves. Around the country, unionized hospital employees are negotiating not only what their health insurance covers, but how much it will cost.
Liveable Pensions.
Many hospitals are cutting back on the retirement benefits they offer employees. Without a union, employees have little say in what happens to their pensions. But hospital employees who are members of unions are bargaining to protect and improve their pensions so that—after a lifetime of caring—they can retire with an income they can afford to live on.
More Paid Time Off.
In today’s busy, fast-paced world, hospital employees need to be sure they can take time off when they need it. Union contracts provide for adequate vacation, sick leave, and personal days, and make sure employees can take the leave they need.