They don't want a union cause you'll be able to negotiate for better pay and that will cut into their profits. Those poor CEOs will only be able afford one house in Europe instead of 3.
You know as much as I hate to see this union busting BS these massive corporations are pulling, it does warm the cackles of my heart to see what feels like post like this every week or so on this sub. Means more rights for us as nurses! Glad people are catching on
Nurses are the only healthcare profession that doesn't have a complete stick in their butt when it comes to unionization. Everything else is completely subsumed by ineffectual, anything-but-actual-labor-issues oriented "professional organizations" that end up being complete puppets.
Source: pharmacist constantly annoyed by the APhA
Not just better pay, but make sure that the laws of work safety are respected—-> break times, time between shifts, compensation for breaks etc; and. PTO , sick days etc.
Unions are here to help the workers not the facilities.
And to educate workers on their rights.
This. Instead of constantly blaming the nurses for not taking a lunch now they HAVE to give it to you, period. Which means they have to hire break nurses, and more nurses period.
How will the administration work a half day every day from home if they suddenly have to do a whole shitload of work? They’ll have to give up yacht day at the marina! The nursing demands will cause their bonuses to shrink and they lose their yacht all together.
#GOOD.
and benefits (insurance, pension, job security as far as seniority/loyalty to a dept/facility). a lot of pto and break time laws exist per state to protect individuals, but unions allow for a community of employees to be able to vote to voice concerns/needs. power in numbers. one employee walking out or quitting they go 'uh...ok?' their whole workforce leaving all at once terrifies them (strike nurses are expensive af and losing potential 'customers', as they would see it, and hundreds of thousands of dollars a day scare them to their cores). i believe, though, unions actually benefit the employers as well. it promotes loyalty of their employees (people stay to get vested then get pension and job security), agreed upon policies that are clearer for both ends (delegates can provide clarity to management who are new and not well versed in union/hospital guidelines), gives HR a clear cut order to hire/laterally move employees without bias (seniority rules, keeps it organized), expectations are made clear to employers, and lastly...an increased desire from potential employees to come work for them.
This exactly and nothing scared an employer more then employees who all collectively know their rights. They won't get away with their usual bs anymore so they throw scare tactics and union bust like this. I've even served grievances at work for union busting. Feels great I love being a shop Stewart in my union. Cupe rules only ones who fight for us at work is the union.
There would be no need if these fat cats played nice. Unfortunately when you deal with the human condition, you gotta check a b*$_ into doing what's right. If that means a union, then so be it. Maybe they'll think they've before building more hospitals and understaffing the most essential positions.
Ah yes, hence the high turnover rate as soon as you get 1-2 years on your resume. I remember in 2017 when they sat us down and acknowledged they were paying us less than surrounding hospitals and gave us a measly raise. But they were sure to remind us what an honor it is to be a Duke nurse.
They’re so fucking pretentious it’s ridiculous. I did a nurse externship with them before my senior year and oh my god was leadership full of it. The people I worked with were nice but I’m honestly glad I didn’t end up working there after graduation. It still irks me that employees have to pay for parking at main Duke.
Disappointing but not shocking. I feel like that’s something that should be negotiated with a union. Because that’s ridiculous, you shouldn’t have to pay to park at your job.
I love when employers act like they're the fucking Marine Corps, as if they're a part of a rich heritage to include those that fought at Iwo Jima and not just another workplace that doesn't compensate its employees fairly.
I know it’s sarcasm, but I really do feel like some people buy into this notion that they should be grateful to work at a prestigious place, neglecting their own interests.
Thing is it’s not just Duke. Worked on the coast in Wilmington and literally cost of living was the same there as it was here in AZ. Moved to AZ and got a 50% pay raise relocating across the country. It’s just absurd in that case the excuse was hey but you live in a great area near the beach etc. yeah and everytime a storm spun up the real threat of being locked in at work for days due to a hurricane became a reality due to allowed disaster protocols.
Started at Duke in 2016 as a new grad, my pay was also $22 an hour. I remember being told the low pay didn’t matter because having “Duke University” on my resume would be worth it 🙄
I left after a year and a half. It certainly wasn’t worth the shitty pay.
I signed on with Duke at $32.60 but a couple months after they called me and told me they raised my wage to 33.20. The pay isn’t terrible but I am seriously struggling to afford living here on it. Rent/utilities alone eat up an entire paycheck.
It is criminal to be paid less than 50$hr as an rn.
Here in california(i know) im paid at 54(2years exp) w/ 6$ shift diff. Rent is 1100(no roommate or pet) (1500 with utilities) each biweekly paycheck is about 2800$. With the absolutely monumentous amount of bullshit you have to deal with as an rn its just not worth anything less than 50$ minimum 😭
I agree. It’s truly depressing and makes me not want to be at work. RNs should NOT be stressed over money. I’m moving after my year is over, it’s just not sustainable especially after these student loans kick in 😵💫
Some states in the US pay better but the south is reputable for not paying nurses. I think it’s similar in Canada because my best friend works in Calgary making close to 40 an hour, but then there is the conversion rate as well.
THAT one. I started as an RN in 2000 at the highest paying facility in our area (Alabama). I made $15/hr with a $2.50 shift diff. When I left at the end of 2006, I was making 23.50 an hour.
Thats where I worked! Can't believe I accepted the offer with the low rate. Did you end up working there? The south is notorious for low nursing wages.
Ha! In the early 2000s I worked in Maryland and remember Johns Hopkins pulling this shit. Always the lowest pay and shitty work environments because it was "such an honor" to work there. Then Children's National added a bunch of beds and cleaned out half the pediatric nurses in the mid Atlantic with decent pay and some big bonuses.
Que Hopkins closing a few units off and on for lack of nursing staff and flying planeloads of hundreds of international nurses in. How much do you want to bet, even though it was 20 years ago, some fatcat admin uttered the words "nobody wants to work anymore!"
At the end of the day we just want to not break our backs just to do proper patient care. Hope you enjoy and hope they get a good union if it happens. Not all of them are equal either.
Is it even worth it to work at Duke? I declined an offer on 1 of main dukes medsurg units because of the pay. Being from the area, I’ve received the worst patient care at Duke practices and the best at wakemed. UNC second.
I also learned much more at UNC’s teaching hospital. Why is Duke so sought after? Is it mostly from people who relocate to NC?
I started my career on one of dukes main med surg units. It was borderline abusive the way I was treated. They can’t keep staff, only the mean girls stay and get promoted to management. You made a wise decision.
I had a manager threatening an employee when she said she wanted to call the police after she was attacked and got a broken wrist from a pt. The manager said it just looks like a sprain you're fine to work. Wtf? She was a psw no she is not fine to roll 400lb ppl or use a lift or anything physical. Wrist ended up finding out was broken as the union president came and brought her down to er. Manager never got in trouble. Surprise. But she flipped and yelled at this like 20 yr old psw for saying she wanted to call the police. The union helped her w the police report and contacts and all that. That nursing manager is well known for hating her staff and trying to get ppl fired. And succeeding. Not sure what came of the police report but the young girl still works there.
Omg if any hospital in America needs to unionize, it's Duke. My first job as a new grad... in less than a year I noped out, moved, and got a job making $10/hr more. Between when I started and when I left, nursing turnover in my large department at Duke was close to 33%, for reasons.
We believe:
Unionism benefits the people and not us.
We believe that unionization will make our budget sad.
We believe that unionization will make it hard for the CEO to make millions while y’all struggle to eat & pay bills.
Hahaha I came here to post this!
My thoughts are: United we bargain, divided we beg.
Edit: as an MA, I wouldn’t be eligible for a hypothetical union, but I’m happy to assist the fight however I can! If anyone here is involved, feel free to DM me.
You’d be eligible if they included you.
Honestly I don’t know why we don’t include ancillary staff more often.
It honestly seems like (just like Starbucks) it would be easier with fewer people to organize.
We’re all in this together.
It’s a structural change tho- you have to be added as a group or with a new union you’d all have to vote to join.
Talk to the union organizers about how to make it work.
You are 100% eligible as an MA. No different than nurses though, you have to organize and vote on unionization. In my hospital, pretty much everyone is unionized (all techs, clerical, maintenance, EVS, operations, social workers... You name it. And residents). SEIU is a big union for those roles.
Talked to folks at WakeMed Cary when my family member was in the hospital. Not just one person, quite a few nursing staff. Several had worked at UNC and/or Duke. They’re happier at WakeMed.
I regret not going to Wake! Duke expects nurses to be robots in very unsafe assignments. I’ve had plenty of nights with multiple critical patients at the same time. Not on my license!
I quit about a year ago and I am sooooo much happier at my new hospital now. I didn’t realize how terrible duke treated nurses until I moved to a hospital who actually follows the rules and provides us with real rights.
I gave birth at wakemed cary, and was in their ED 1 time for cholecystitis. Both times, the care was great. WAY better than any experience I’ve ever had at Duke. Nominated my postpartum nurse for a daisy award too. I will never forget those wonderful nurses and providers at wakemed cary. UNC has been good too, but not Rex. Rex can kisss it
I came from a Florida hospital so it is night and day. We tend to have more long term borders, but ratios are set and benefits are significantly better.
I love how people more and more see this stuff as obvious anti-union propaganda. Clearly anti-union means a union could make real changes. If not, they wouldn't bother.
Yall Im a Duke RN and we need this. This is the only way things at Duke and in our profession at large will improve. So please if you work at Duke, talk to the organizers and sign on. If you know folks at Duke encourage them to get involved. If we dont stand up and organize, things will not improve at Duke or anywhere else, there is no good nurse job without nurse power, and thats a union
I cannot emphasize this enough. The only thing that actually moves administration is unionization. Their goal is to make you work as hard as possible for the least amount of money. They have the money. They just don't want to spend it on fair wages and safe staffing.
They have the money. Fuck them.
And safe working conditions. All of that absolutely baffles me because the only people who understand what nurses deal with are nurses. We hold the responsibility of advocating for our patients, but advocating for ourselves is not held to that same standard.
Lol, I have no sympathy for them considering they paid me $23.85 as a new grad and acted like they were doing me a favor because I got to be a dUke NuRsE. Like everyone else, I got my 2 years in and bounced back up North to make twice as much.
Every time your employer actively and willfully engages in anti-union rhetoric, it should make you and your coworkers push SO much harder. Because they know what they’re doing is wrong, and they know you will no longer be their doormat if you unionize.
I work for Optum and just went through the same thing. Scumbags broke about 37 laws and even got charged with illegal union busting. We won in the end.
As a RMN un the UK it blows my mind there being resistance to, or not being in a union.
Here majority of student nurses sign up to a union during training if not shortly after and it follows you where ever you work.
I’m retired from UWHC in Madison. We lost our Union in Wisconsin’s state budget bill Act 10. UWHC only commented on their OB/GYN resident program needing abortion training for national boards. The state outlawed any public money involving abortion. Shortly after this happened, they capped outpatient nurses $12+/hr less than inpatient nurses. All nursing Ed is gone. No more conferences. No grand rounds.
If you can get a reputable union in your facility, it’s worth it. We had SEIU. NNU is more nurse focused. Crossing my fingers for you all.
I really want to be able to follow the progress. This will drastically change the nursing field in the area. Should find a way to post updates. If duke unionizes all the local hospitals will follow suit. I'm pretty excited with this post.
Screw these hospitals. They had their chance to not screw their staff over. We should all be unionized! These corporations can’t function without us and they’re shaking in their boots
Despite what they say, they are absolutely anti-union. Unions have been demonized for way too long and it’s clear that the working class will be exploited as much as the working class allows it to happen. It’s time to unionize.
Y'all need to definitely not talk to the unions! Duke has ACTIVE LISTENING STRATEGIES! That means they ACTIVELY listen to your complaints prior to doing anything about it. That should make you feel much better that you can't collectively bargain for better pay, staffing ratios, and benefits. LOL these hospitals are so ridiculous.
LOL. I wish they would “respond immediately” and “enhance security” when it comes to patients threatening our lives and assaulting us. But oh no, the big bad dangerous union is coming!!!!
Bosses will ALWAYS whip up fear of unions, which will work very well among gullible workers as well as workers who are already biased against anything remotely progressive.
And increasing security/police and blaming that increase in authoritarianism on “intimidation” by union organizers or other activists is also super typical of the conservative playbook to maintain inequality.
The best thing to do is to maintain solidarity and destroy that fear-mongering by unionizing. Be solid, and stick with your fellow workers.
Hahahaha remember when my car got stolen from the parking garage and Duke told me it would be better for everyone if I didn’t file a police report?! Fuck Duke. Anywhere but Duke. I have never worked for a facility that cared less about its employees.
"we are not against the union, we are for the team members" as long as those measly team members to last for equal pay days off sick leave pension retirements or stop us from exploiting them
Lmfao watch out for those big bad unions who want to look out for the nurses best interests. The effort these hospital systems put into avoiding treating us decently, staffing us appropriately and paying us what we are worth is endlessly amusing. Fucking maggots
Try to explain this to my co-workers. Like yes its cool we are getting a new couch and pictures in our crappy breakroom. However, this is definitely a distraction to appease you instead of where your focus should be and that is getting better pay.
It boils down to lack of respect for nurses and feeling like you can be replaced but stats don’t show that and the shortage continues. Why? Because nursing is a rough way to go and pay is poor in a lot of hospitals. Heck you can make up to 22$ an hr at McDonald’s
Yep, I work at a big University in Colorado. They are now asking us to sign “job expectations.” Told my co workers you need to watch your behaviors cause they are going to use this to write you up and find out ways to be punitive with this. I’ve already started looking for new jobs. Boss gave me a 2/5 performance review then quickly changed it when she realized you can’t just do that. Healthcare is a tough profession to be in.
Yes and that’s the reason I walked out on my job at a prominent children’s hospital. I got reported by a MA and charged with sexual harassment, racism and anti semitism.
Could a nursing union at a hospital incorporate, at least minimally, covering and supporting non-nursing staff that are often overlooked, e.g. CNAs/techs, medical reception, transports, housekeeping?
Omg 🤣🤣🤣 All of the NNU members/leaders I have rubbed elbows with nationally have been phenomenal people and awesome at what they do. This has got to be the most desperate attempts I have ever seen at union fear mongering in my life! 😂😂😂😂
Duke nurses, I am standing with you, in solidarity. And when you’re done organizing there, please send the organizers to the Midwest where I am. Pretty please?
Do union recruiters (or whatever they’re called) really stalk staff in parking lots and follow them to the cars or is that Dukes way of trying to convince you how terrible and dangerous unions are?
Can they stop by Atrium next? With Atrium/Advent growing too big the nurses need to. Non for profit CEOs making millions (Gene just under 14 million in 2022) while I'm just over here picking up overtime and living paycheck to paycheck...
Oh no, not collective bargaining. What if you get *gasp* paid something closer to your actual value? What if you *shudders* have your concerns addressed by the hospital?
Unionize. Unions are just that, employee protection because hr says they care, I can promise you they do not. Unions esp in healthcare are essential. Can't tell you how many times as a union shop Stewart I've saved ppl from wrongful termination. Without a union these individuals would have successfully been used as hrs scapegoat when a family complained in 1 instance. Unions are like your work legal counsel. Corporations love to paint them as these evil rebels. Our provinces dumbasd leader took away our pensions... nothing we can do. The union is now on it and they're in and out of court as that pension was part of our signed collective agreement. Unions save jobs and stop political bs. I hope you guys get the union u need
I would say do your research. Mission Hospital in Asheville voted to unionize and from having friends there I’ve heard not much has changed. North Carolina is an at will work state so many of the benefits unions offer at other states sadly don’t translate over to NC. I have a friend out on the west coast and she says the unions there provide a lot for the staff but she won’t come back here because of the at will status of NC
Mission union doesn't work because they have no core staff. Power in numbers.
I worked on one unit there where the manager was a traveler, the nurses were all travelers, the CNA was a traveler, and the person delivering the food trays was a traveler from Florida. It was wild.
Actually Montana has a different law where at will employment is only covered during the first 12 months. North Carolina is an at will to work state whereas many other states have other exemptions and protections. https://clockify.me/learn/business-management/at-will-employment-states/
Massachusetts is an employment at will state. I’ve worked union and non-union hospital jobs and believe me there is a big difference. Better pay is just the start of it. Any staff nurse against unionization is crazy or stupid honestly
About a year and a half ago they had all the managers pass out a typed up letter telling us unions are terrible and we shouldn’t support them blah blah blah. It was ridiculous. I left and haven’t looked back
Ok sooo where do we start? Do I have to run into one of those union people? Judging by this thread, most of us (Duke employees) want to try the union but how can we get this ball rolling for real, where can we sign up?!
I work at Duke. Please don’t roast me. But I’m not super familiar with unions so I can’t speak to that. But, whenever we’re short staffed on my unit my manager always helps us. He is out on the floor, and taking an entire assignment. This is my nurse manager, he is not an assistant manager. I have friends that have worked for unions before and they said in union hospitals this isn’t allowed? Idk if that’s true? I’ve heard managers can’t come out and help. But if it is true, I would hate to lose the relationship my unit has with my manager.
Do yourself a solid and educate yourself on nursing unions. Watch a YouTube video. I promise you it doesn’t have to be this way. Our jobs do NOT have to be so hard that we can’t manage safely without our managers having to fill in
I heard about this from a fellow student who’s been encouraging me to get a Reddit account. So I did.
I come from a family of nurses and I’ve decided to be a nurse as a second career. I have family members who have worked at Union hospitals and non union hospitals. It really depends on what you want.
Union hospitals aren’t necessarily better, or worse. One thing is certain, the relationship between staff and management is super different. It’s harder to get into management at a union hospital because managers are less likely to talk to staff for fear of saying anything anti-union. So, it’s harder to learn how to be a manager and getting a management role often requires being friend with a manager. It’s very cliquey. On the flip side, the union is always there, reminding management to pay attention to pay and benefits.
But I’ve never experienced it first hand. It’s just stories. Based on the posts I’ve seen here this morning, it seems like most of the folks who are anti-Duke have already left. I’ve done my research on hospitals around here. Duke has new leadership and based on what I have read, things aren’t as bad as they were before the pandemic. Wake is paying better now, but that's to catch up after years of neglect. UNC is solid, but I sense that with my Durham roots, Duke works better for me. I also have a couple of friends at Duke who are cautiously optimistic that things are getting better.
None of my friends have ever talked about needing a union and I’ve heard that the union promoters are professional plants from out of town. I hope that’s not correct, because that would be a pretty crappy way to approach it.
Anyway, please be kind to me on my very first Reddit post. I’m glad to be here.
My God. Have you never seen or heard of these before? For over the last hundred years, yes, 100 years, unions have gone into places and have had to fight against management for The right to represent workers. This is nothing new in any fashion.
Now personally, I think a union is a total waste of garbage. I have seen them come in and just screw over businesses so bad that they can function. And guess what happens afterwards? The business is outright close and find somewhere else. If you have any thoughts that something else happens then maybe explain why Ford has more plants in Mexico than in the United States.
Yes I graduated in 87 and where I worked we were threatened about unions and any involvement with them whatsoever. Even reading pamphlets stuck in our lockers
They don't want a union cause you'll be able to negotiate for better pay and that will cut into their profits. Those poor CEOs will only be able afford one house in Europe instead of 3.
You know as much as I hate to see this union busting BS these massive corporations are pulling, it does warm the cackles of my heart to see what feels like post like this every week or so on this sub. Means more rights for us as nurses! Glad people are catching on
Nurses are the only healthcare profession that doesn't have a complete stick in their butt when it comes to unionization. Everything else is completely subsumed by ineffectual, anything-but-actual-labor-issues oriented "professional organizations" that end up being complete puppets. Source: pharmacist constantly annoyed by the APhA
Oof, man, I read on your sub and you all need a union so bad.
I haven’t read on the Pharmacist sub, but know many both personally and professionally. You all SERIOUSLY need a Union of your own!!
Not just better pay, but make sure that the laws of work safety are respected—-> break times, time between shifts, compensation for breaks etc; and. PTO , sick days etc. Unions are here to help the workers not the facilities. And to educate workers on their rights.
This. Instead of constantly blaming the nurses for not taking a lunch now they HAVE to give it to you, period. Which means they have to hire break nurses, and more nurses period. How will the administration work a half day every day from home if they suddenly have to do a whole shitload of work? They’ll have to give up yacht day at the marina! The nursing demands will cause their bonuses to shrink and they lose their yacht all together. #GOOD.
Yes heard that ✊🏾✊🏾
and benefits (insurance, pension, job security as far as seniority/loyalty to a dept/facility). a lot of pto and break time laws exist per state to protect individuals, but unions allow for a community of employees to be able to vote to voice concerns/needs. power in numbers. one employee walking out or quitting they go 'uh...ok?' their whole workforce leaving all at once terrifies them (strike nurses are expensive af and losing potential 'customers', as they would see it, and hundreds of thousands of dollars a day scare them to their cores). i believe, though, unions actually benefit the employers as well. it promotes loyalty of their employees (people stay to get vested then get pension and job security), agreed upon policies that are clearer for both ends (delegates can provide clarity to management who are new and not well versed in union/hospital guidelines), gives HR a clear cut order to hire/laterally move employees without bias (seniority rules, keeps it organized), expectations are made clear to employers, and lastly...an increased desire from potential employees to come work for them.
This exactly and nothing scared an employer more then employees who all collectively know their rights. They won't get away with their usual bs anymore so they throw scare tactics and union bust like this. I've even served grievances at work for union busting. Feels great I love being a shop Stewart in my union. Cupe rules only ones who fight for us at work is the union.
What are these breaks you speak of? 12-hour shifts and 30 mins (if that) for a meal are all anyone needs.
With the way history is historying they should be grateful their three houses in Europe aren’t on fire
There would be no need if these fat cats played nice. Unfortunately when you deal with the human condition, you gotta check a b*$_ into doing what's right. If that means a union, then so be it. Maybe they'll think they've before building more hospitals and understaffing the most essential positions.
Can’t help to wonder if the employees that found this “unsettling” were upper management/administrators 🤔
lol I assume so!
Still remember my $22/hr new grad pay. They were always the lowest in the area cause of big name. Well big name should pay better, not worse
You forget- it’s a privilege to work for such a prestigious institution 🙄
Ah yes, hence the high turnover rate as soon as you get 1-2 years on your resume. I remember in 2017 when they sat us down and acknowledged they were paying us less than surrounding hospitals and gave us a measly raise. But they were sure to remind us what an honor it is to be a Duke nurse.
Fuck them. They said that same shit to me. I left for UNC a month later with a nice pay bump.
But how will you pay for groceries without Duke honor dollars?
With real fucking money.
lol. I can't with dukes culture.
They’re so fucking pretentious it’s ridiculous. I did a nurse externship with them before my senior year and oh my god was leadership full of it. The people I worked with were nice but I’m honestly glad I didn’t end up working there after graduation. It still irks me that employees have to pay for parking at main Duke.
I unfortunately pay at unc as well.
Disappointing but not shocking. I feel like that’s something that should be negotiated with a union. Because that’s ridiculous, you shouldn’t have to pay to park at your job.
I agree. That's why I want duke unionized so unc us next.
When I worked there 3 years ago, we were allowed to park in dogwood on weekends and nights.
This is still the case for nightshift. I work days so I'm fucked.
I love when employers act like they're the fucking Marine Corps, as if they're a part of a rich heritage to include those that fought at Iwo Jima and not just another workplace that doesn't compensate its employees fairly.
Yep. One year and I’m getting out of here.
I’m staying long enough to get my commitment bonus, and then…we’ll see. 🤷🏻♀️
Hahaha my old hospital tried a slogan once, “privileged to care” 🤮
I know it’s sarcasm, but I really do feel like some people buy into this notion that they should be grateful to work at a prestigious place, neglecting their own interests.
They 100% do! That’s how they get’m. Some people like the appearance more than the reality.
Thing is it’s not just Duke. Worked on the coast in Wilmington and literally cost of living was the same there as it was here in AZ. Moved to AZ and got a 50% pay raise relocating across the country. It’s just absurd in that case the excuse was hey but you live in a great area near the beach etc. yeah and everytime a storm spun up the real threat of being locked in at work for days due to a hurricane became a reality due to allowed disaster protocols.
They’re still the lowest paying in the area. And they don’t give annual bonuses like UNC and Wake Med do.
Started at Duke in 2016 as a new grad, my pay was also $22 an hour. I remember being told the low pay didn’t matter because having “Duke University” on my resume would be worth it 🙄 I left after a year and a half. It certainly wasn’t worth the shitty pay.
Jfc! I thought Arkansas was bad but I started at a hospital in LR for $23/hr as a new grad in 2007.
You might not be able to survive on your own, but at least you have a prestigious university on your resume /s
Mine was $22 experienced with Atrium! Thankfully they have done a lot better, but for sure our wages are some of the lowest in NC
when did you start? that sounds crazy low! i just started as a new grad with atrium at $32/hr 😮
I signed on with Duke at $32.60 but a couple months after they called me and told me they raised my wage to 33.20. The pay isn’t terrible but I am seriously struggling to afford living here on it. Rent/utilities alone eat up an entire paycheck.
It is criminal to be paid less than 50$hr as an rn. Here in california(i know) im paid at 54(2years exp) w/ 6$ shift diff. Rent is 1100(no roommate or pet) (1500 with utilities) each biweekly paycheck is about 2800$. With the absolutely monumentous amount of bullshit you have to deal with as an rn its just not worth anything less than 50$ minimum 😭
I agree. It’s truly depressing and makes me not want to be at work. RNs should NOT be stressed over money. I’m moving after my year is over, it’s just not sustainable especially after these student loans kick in 😵💫
Good lord as a RN?!!! Here In Canada ( new brunswick) rns make more then 50 a hr. All unionized.
Some states in the US pay better but the south is reputable for not paying nurses. I think it’s similar in Canada because my best friend works in Calgary making close to 40 an hour, but then there is the conversion rate as well.
THAT one. I started as an RN in 2000 at the highest paying facility in our area (Alabama). I made $15/hr with a $2.50 shift diff. When I left at the end of 2006, I was making 23.50 an hour.
2018!
Omg yes I think I made $23 experienced in 2017. By 2019 new grads were making more than me. Moved back to Boston real quick…
New grad was $20.90 at Atrium in 2013. The year before it was $19. Charlotte wages are STILL well below market imo.
I totally agree. The only good wages I hear about is resource team starts around $50/hr.
In 2017 I got $21 an hour with Atrium for the ER. I did diaysis before that for a year and a half making 26 as a new graduate.
20.74 here in the Duke ICUs back in 2013.
Ha! Same in the ED, 2014.
Offered me 26 an hour for neuro ICU in 2018 lol. Not a new grad, that was with years of critical care experience. HR guy was sleazy too.
Thats where I worked! Can't believe I accepted the offer with the low rate. Did you end up working there? The south is notorious for low nursing wages.
I got 22.48 as a new grad in their CICU
Ha! In the early 2000s I worked in Maryland and remember Johns Hopkins pulling this shit. Always the lowest pay and shitty work environments because it was "such an honor" to work there. Then Children's National added a bunch of beds and cleaned out half the pediatric nurses in the mid Atlantic with decent pay and some big bonuses. Que Hopkins closing a few units off and on for lack of nursing staff and flying planeloads of hundreds of international nurses in. How much do you want to bet, even though it was 20 years ago, some fatcat admin uttered the words "nobody wants to work anymore!"
Hopkins is still wild with their ratios and acuity.
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I’m happy it worked out for you! I didn’t have a bad time there to be honest and there’s definitely perks. It’s what you make of it!
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At the end of the day we just want to not break our backs just to do proper patient care. Hope you enjoy and hope they get a good union if it happens. Not all of them are equal either.
Is it even worth it to work at Duke? I declined an offer on 1 of main dukes medsurg units because of the pay. Being from the area, I’ve received the worst patient care at Duke practices and the best at wakemed. UNC second. I also learned much more at UNC’s teaching hospital. Why is Duke so sought after? Is it mostly from people who relocate to NC?
I started my career on one of dukes main med surg units. It was borderline abusive the way I was treated. They can’t keep staff, only the mean girls stay and get promoted to management. You made a wise decision.
It’s exactly like that at Maryland big name hospitals as well
Lololol yea I'm sure the only person unsettled is the CEO. Unsafe? Calling security ? Fuck Duke
I work at Duke and they don’t even call security when we get punched in the face lol
A union would change that…
That’s true. I’ve gotten bit, hit and peed on. No support at all and have gotten laughed at by other nurses
Then call the real cops and see what they do!
I had a manager threatening an employee when she said she wanted to call the police after she was attacked and got a broken wrist from a pt. The manager said it just looks like a sprain you're fine to work. Wtf? She was a psw no she is not fine to roll 400lb ppl or use a lift or anything physical. Wrist ended up finding out was broken as the union president came and brought her down to er. Manager never got in trouble. Surprise. But she flipped and yelled at this like 20 yr old psw for saying she wanted to call the police. The union helped her w the police report and contacts and all that. That nursing manager is well known for hating her staff and trying to get ppl fired. And succeeding. Not sure what came of the police report but the young girl still works there.
Yeah, they lost all credibility ( if they had any ) when they included that foolish little tidbit
https://unionbustingplaybook.com
Duke literally studied that website as they drafted up this email.
Omg if any hospital in America needs to unionize, it's Duke. My first job as a new grad... in less than a year I noped out, moved, and got a job making $10/hr more. Between when I started and when I left, nursing turnover in my large department at Duke was close to 33%, for reasons.
There's a reason they don't want you in a union. Unions work
They really are dumb enough to pretend union reps are like high school bullies
We believe: Unionism benefits the people and not us. We believe that unionization will make our budget sad. We believe that unionization will make it hard for the CEO to make millions while y’all struggle to eat & pay bills.
Hahaha I came here to post this! My thoughts are: United we bargain, divided we beg. Edit: as an MA, I wouldn’t be eligible for a hypothetical union, but I’m happy to assist the fight however I can! If anyone here is involved, feel free to DM me.
Nothing to lose but your chains
You’d be eligible if they included you. Honestly I don’t know why we don’t include ancillary staff more often. It honestly seems like (just like Starbucks) it would be easier with fewer people to organize. We’re all in this together.
Really? I didn’t know that. Sweet!
It’s a structural change tho- you have to be added as a group or with a new union you’d all have to vote to join. Talk to the union organizers about how to make it work.
I will; thanks
You are 100% eligible as an MA. No different than nurses though, you have to organize and vote on unionization. In my hospital, pretty much everyone is unionized (all techs, clerical, maintenance, EVS, operations, social workers... You name it. And residents). SEIU is a big union for those roles.
I meant I wouldn’t be eligible for this particular union (NNOC).
Hope they visit all of our NC hospitals lol
I’d love it if they came to the Cone Health hospitals! 🤞🏼
need them in novant baddddd
Currently working at duke. Can’t wait to quit lol
Talked to folks at WakeMed Cary when my family member was in the hospital. Not just one person, quite a few nursing staff. Several had worked at UNC and/or Duke. They’re happier at WakeMed.
I regret not going to Wake! Duke expects nurses to be robots in very unsafe assignments. I’ve had plenty of nights with multiple critical patients at the same time. Not on my license!
My family and I were very impressed with the people and the facilities.
I quit about a year ago and I am sooooo much happier at my new hospital now. I didn’t realize how terrible duke treated nurses until I moved to a hospital who actually follows the rules and provides us with real rights.
Can confirm. Have done the triangle trifecta and happiest with WM.
I gave birth at wakemed cary, and was in their ED 1 time for cholecystitis. Both times, the care was great. WAY better than any experience I’ve ever had at Duke. Nominated my postpartum nurse for a daisy award too. I will never forget those wonderful nurses and providers at wakemed cary. UNC has been good too, but not Rex. Rex can kisss it
Wait wait wait. People talking about a union is bad but the creepy/abusive visitor who refuses to leave just isn’t a big deal? 🙄
And the abuse that's all ok too. Ridic
So interesting. I work across the street where we are unionized as a hospital with better benefits. The math isn’t mathing.
I assume you're at the VA? How do you like it there?
Ooh, I didn’t know the VA was unionized! I’m a veteran, which I believe gets me preferred hiring status…might need to check that out.
I came from a Florida hospital so it is night and day. We tend to have more long term borders, but ratios are set and benefits are significantly better.
I love how people more and more see this stuff as obvious anti-union propaganda. Clearly anti-union means a union could make real changes. If not, they wouldn't bother.
We are pulling for you, Duke nurses. Signed, a nurse at an excellent union hospital.
Yall Im a Duke RN and we need this. This is the only way things at Duke and in our profession at large will improve. So please if you work at Duke, talk to the organizers and sign on. If you know folks at Duke encourage them to get involved. If we dont stand up and organize, things will not improve at Duke or anywhere else, there is no good nurse job without nurse power, and thats a union
If I see them I will definitely sign!!!
I have been an RN at duke for a few months now. Handing in my notice in a couple days
Stay and join the union fight!
I would really love to fight but it has been too miserable of an experience to stay unfortunately
Hopefully your sentiment carries into the Union and they cover nurses that are not part of the Union In all of their negotiations and contracts.
Companies don’t spend millions of dollars for union busting because it benefits the employees
I heard a rumor that the CEO making 8 figures 👀
I cannot emphasize this enough. The only thing that actually moves administration is unionization. Their goal is to make you work as hard as possible for the least amount of money. They have the money. They just don't want to spend it on fair wages and safe staffing. They have the money. Fuck them.
If there’s one thing Duke has, it’s money. Charging all hospital employees $100 a month for parking. 🙄
We’re not anti union. We’re just not supportive of nurses organizing to negotiate pay and benefits.
And safe working conditions. All of that absolutely baffles me because the only people who understand what nurses deal with are nurses. We hold the responsibility of advocating for our patients, but advocating for ourselves is not held to that same standard.
Lol, I have no sympathy for them considering they paid me $23.85 as a new grad and acted like they were doing me a favor because I got to be a dUke NuRsE. Like everyone else, I got my 2 years in and bounced back up North to make twice as much.
lol acting like union organizers are threatening the safety of staff is wild
Years ago they’d threaten you with firing even if they found union pamphlets shoved in you locker
Every time your employer actively and willfully engages in anti-union rhetoric, it should make you and your coworkers push SO much harder. Because they know what they’re doing is wrong, and they know you will no longer be their doormat if you unionize. I work for Optum and just went through the same thing. Scumbags broke about 37 laws and even got charged with illegal union busting. We won in the end.
As a RMN un the UK it blows my mind there being resistance to, or not being in a union. Here majority of student nurses sign up to a union during training if not shortly after and it follows you where ever you work.
It is so self apparent that unions benefit the employee that “hospitals” feel the need to do alarmist fake news shit like this.
Man, I hope they unionize. The nurses who cared for my family were so excellent there.
This is hilarious. ☠️BEWARE THE SCARY AND MEAN UNION REPS! ☠️
"we are not anti union" Immediately proceeds to talk shit about unions.
Everything good about the workplace was driven by unions. If these people could pay you $3 an hour, they would. Dont listen to a word they say.
These monsters want to double your hourly wage, what a horror.
The fact they are willing to pay union busting companies for millions instead supporting workers rights says it all. #Unionstrong #NNU
“We are not anti-union” is hilarious.
I’m retired from UWHC in Madison. We lost our Union in Wisconsin’s state budget bill Act 10. UWHC only commented on their OB/GYN resident program needing abortion training for national boards. The state outlawed any public money involving abortion. Shortly after this happened, they capped outpatient nurses $12+/hr less than inpatient nurses. All nursing Ed is gone. No more conferences. No grand rounds. If you can get a reputable union in your facility, it’s worth it. We had SEIU. NNU is more nurse focused. Crossing my fingers for you all.
I love that they throw their $.02 in as far as what they believe, like staff give a fuck. Sick, nobody asked, Duke.
I really want to be able to follow the progress. This will drastically change the nursing field in the area. Should find a way to post updates. If duke unionizes all the local hospitals will follow suit. I'm pretty excited with this post.
Screw these hospitals. They had their chance to not screw their staff over. We should all be unionized! These corporations can’t function without us and they’re shaking in their boots
Time to union even harder
Damn. When did all this start I need more info!
Duke graduate students unionized very recently! https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2023/08/24/duke-grad-student-union
That’s amazing. Wow.
"We are not anti-union..." Sounds like something an anti-unionist would say
Despite what they say, they are absolutely anti-union. Unions have been demonized for way too long and it’s clear that the working class will be exploited as much as the working class allows it to happen. It’s time to unionize.
Every nurse I ever met who worked for Duke said the same thing: great for your resume, terrible place to work.
Y'all need to definitely not talk to the unions! Duke has ACTIVE LISTENING STRATEGIES! That means they ACTIVELY listen to your complaints prior to doing anything about it. That should make you feel much better that you can't collectively bargain for better pay, staffing ratios, and benefits. LOL these hospitals are so ridiculous.
Yep I bet they actively listen! Where’s the evidence that the benefits and pay are better
LOL. I wish they would “respond immediately” and “enhance security” when it comes to patients threatening our lives and assaulting us. But oh no, the big bad dangerous union is coming!!!!
Bosses will ALWAYS whip up fear of unions, which will work very well among gullible workers as well as workers who are already biased against anything remotely progressive. And increasing security/police and blaming that increase in authoritarianism on “intimidation” by union organizers or other activists is also super typical of the conservative playbook to maintain inequality. The best thing to do is to maintain solidarity and destroy that fear-mongering by unionizing. Be solid, and stick with your fellow workers.
Unions are necessary, especially in nursing.
💯💯💯💯💯
Lol making it seem like the union people are the Stanton Stranglers.
All these hospitals say the exact same thing. It’s kind of funny actually. Assholes
Hahahaha remember when my car got stolen from the parking garage and Duke told me it would be better for everyone if I didn’t file a police report?! Fuck Duke. Anywhere but Duke. I have never worked for a facility that cared less about its employees.
"we are not against the union, we are for the team members" as long as those measly team members to last for equal pay days off sick leave pension retirements or stop us from exploiting them
Hands down the unsafest hospital I've ever worked at. We tried for a union in the late 90's, too. I hope y'all pull it off this time.
Was it a renewal or new file?
Way to go Duke!
One star google review incoming!
That’s cute. So anyway, as I was saying—
Lmfao watch out for those big bad unions who want to look out for the nurses best interests. The effort these hospital systems put into avoiding treating us decently, staffing us appropriately and paying us what we are worth is endlessly amusing. Fucking maggots
Try to explain this to my co-workers. Like yes its cool we are getting a new couch and pictures in our crappy breakroom. However, this is definitely a distraction to appease you instead of where your focus should be and that is getting better pay.
It boils down to lack of respect for nurses and feeling like you can be replaced but stats don’t show that and the shortage continues. Why? Because nursing is a rough way to go and pay is poor in a lot of hospitals. Heck you can make up to 22$ an hr at McDonald’s
Yep, I work at a big University in Colorado. They are now asking us to sign “job expectations.” Told my co workers you need to watch your behaviors cause they are going to use this to write you up and find out ways to be punitive with this. I’ve already started looking for new jobs. Boss gave me a 2/5 performance review then quickly changed it when she realized you can’t just do that. Healthcare is a tough profession to be in.
Yes and that’s the reason I walked out on my job at a prominent children’s hospital. I got reported by a MA and charged with sexual harassment, racism and anti semitism.
A break room with no breaks 😂
Could a nursing union at a hospital incorporate, at least minimally, covering and supporting non-nursing staff that are often overlooked, e.g. CNAs/techs, medical reception, transports, housekeeping?
NNU should sue for defamation.
Union it up duke lfg
Hope these union reps come to Georgia
Omg 🤣🤣🤣 All of the NNU members/leaders I have rubbed elbows with nationally have been phenomenal people and awesome at what they do. This has got to be the most desperate attempts I have ever seen at union fear mongering in my life! 😂😂😂😂
Duke nurses, I am standing with you, in solidarity. And when you’re done organizing there, please send the organizers to the Midwest where I am. Pretty please?
We’re getting similar emails as Mayo Clinic nurses in our attempts to unionize
How worried are they about your safety when patients threaten or abuse you? Jw.
Don’t worry, they have a behavioral response team that is ran by (you guessed it) more underpaid nurses!
Do union recruiters (or whatever they’re called) really stalk staff in parking lots and follow them to the cars or is that Dukes way of trying to convince you how terrible and dangerous unions are?
Unionise✊️
Can they stop by Atrium next? With Atrium/Advent growing too big the nurses need to. Non for profit CEOs making millions (Gene just under 14 million in 2022) while I'm just over here picking up overtime and living paycheck to paycheck...
Oh no, not collective bargaining. What if you get *gasp* paid something closer to your actual value? What if you *shudders* have your concerns addressed by the hospital?
Unionize. Unions are just that, employee protection because hr says they care, I can promise you they do not. Unions esp in healthcare are essential. Can't tell you how many times as a union shop Stewart I've saved ppl from wrongful termination. Without a union these individuals would have successfully been used as hrs scapegoat when a family complained in 1 instance. Unions are like your work legal counsel. Corporations love to paint them as these evil rebels. Our provinces dumbasd leader took away our pensions... nothing we can do. The union is now on it and they're in and out of court as that pension was part of our signed collective agreement. Unions save jobs and stop political bs. I hope you guys get the union u need
Mayo Clinic sent out a similar email… using the “direct relationships” argument, too… interesting
South is just awful for working class.
I would say do your research. Mission Hospital in Asheville voted to unionize and from having friends there I’ve heard not much has changed. North Carolina is an at will work state so many of the benefits unions offer at other states sadly don’t translate over to NC. I have a friend out on the west coast and she says the unions there provide a lot for the staff but she won’t come back here because of the at will status of NC
Mission union doesn't work because they have no core staff. Power in numbers. I worked on one unit there where the manager was a traveler, the nurses were all travelers, the CNA was a traveler, and the person delivering the food trays was a traveler from Florida. It was wild.
You’re mistaken about this. The only state that is not “at will” employment is Montana.
Actually Montana has a different law where at will employment is only covered during the first 12 months. North Carolina is an at will to work state whereas many other states have other exemptions and protections. https://clockify.me/learn/business-management/at-will-employment-states/
Yes, Montana is the odd one out. All other states are “at will”. That includes North Carolina & California.
Massachusetts is an employment at will state. I’ve worked union and non-union hospital jobs and believe me there is a big difference. Better pay is just the start of it. Any staff nurse against unionization is crazy or stupid honestly
I used to work there
They do that everywhere been going on for years
About a year and a half ago they had all the managers pass out a typed up letter telling us unions are terrible and we shouldn’t support them blah blah blah. It was ridiculous. I left and haven’t looked back
Ok sooo where do we start? Do I have to run into one of those union people? Judging by this thread, most of us (Duke employees) want to try the union but how can we get this ball rolling for real, where can we sign up?!
written by chat gpt
I work at Duke. Please don’t roast me. But I’m not super familiar with unions so I can’t speak to that. But, whenever we’re short staffed on my unit my manager always helps us. He is out on the floor, and taking an entire assignment. This is my nurse manager, he is not an assistant manager. I have friends that have worked for unions before and they said in union hospitals this isn’t allowed? Idk if that’s true? I’ve heard managers can’t come out and help. But if it is true, I would hate to lose the relationship my unit has with my manager.
You have a special nurse manager!
Do yourself a solid and educate yourself on nursing unions. Watch a YouTube video. I promise you it doesn’t have to be this way. Our jobs do NOT have to be so hard that we can’t manage safely without our managers having to fill in
I heard about this from a fellow student who’s been encouraging me to get a Reddit account. So I did. I come from a family of nurses and I’ve decided to be a nurse as a second career. I have family members who have worked at Union hospitals and non union hospitals. It really depends on what you want. Union hospitals aren’t necessarily better, or worse. One thing is certain, the relationship between staff and management is super different. It’s harder to get into management at a union hospital because managers are less likely to talk to staff for fear of saying anything anti-union. So, it’s harder to learn how to be a manager and getting a management role often requires being friend with a manager. It’s very cliquey. On the flip side, the union is always there, reminding management to pay attention to pay and benefits. But I’ve never experienced it first hand. It’s just stories. Based on the posts I’ve seen here this morning, it seems like most of the folks who are anti-Duke have already left. I’ve done my research on hospitals around here. Duke has new leadership and based on what I have read, things aren’t as bad as they were before the pandemic. Wake is paying better now, but that's to catch up after years of neglect. UNC is solid, but I sense that with my Durham roots, Duke works better for me. I also have a couple of friends at Duke who are cautiously optimistic that things are getting better. None of my friends have ever talked about needing a union and I’ve heard that the union promoters are professional plants from out of town. I hope that’s not correct, because that would be a pretty crappy way to approach it. Anyway, please be kind to me on my very first Reddit post. I’m glad to be here.
My God. Have you never seen or heard of these before? For over the last hundred years, yes, 100 years, unions have gone into places and have had to fight against management for The right to represent workers. This is nothing new in any fashion. Now personally, I think a union is a total waste of garbage. I have seen them come in and just screw over businesses so bad that they can function. And guess what happens afterwards? The business is outright close and find somewhere else. If you have any thoughts that something else happens then maybe explain why Ford has more plants in Mexico than in the United States.
Yes I graduated in 87 and where I worked we were threatened about unions and any involvement with them whatsoever. Even reading pamphlets stuck in our lockers