Job Security
Because the hospital industry is increasingly being driven by corporate profit and financial concerns, health care employees and nurses face a degree of uncertainty when it comes to their jobs and their future. Without a union contract, anyone can lose their job at any time and for any reason.
While union representation doesn’t completely shield us from all the ups and downs in the industry, it does provide basic protections that make our jobs — and our ability to stand up for quality patient care — more secure.
As union members, we have:
Input in restructuring, job redesign, and other changes.
Through collective bargaining and labor-management committees, we have input in changes that take place at work that minimize job loss and maximize the quality of care, including training and staff development programs that increase workers’ skills. Further, many union contracts require administrators to first negotiate with employees before implementing reorganizations or mergers that could cause reductions in staff.
Protections against layoffs.
In some cases, we’ve negotiated agreements that ensure no layoffs will occur while our union contract is in effect. In other cases, we’ve negotiated for subcontracting restrictions, reassignment to other available positions, as well as supplemental income and health insurance when layoffs are necessary.
Fair rules that apply to everyone.
Union contracts eliminate favoritism and discrimination and generally require that seniority be considered when layoffs must occur. When there’s a problem, union employees have effective recourse through grievance procedures. A union contract ensures that no one can be disciplined without a good reason, and that the same rules and standards apply equally to everyone.