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ANA
Faces Another Form of Disaffiliation Vote—This Time
From Its Own Employees
ANA Employees To Take Strike
Vote Today!
The American Nurses Association, which purports to be an effective
national union for nurses through its union arm – The United American Nurses – seems
to be having trouble managing its own affairs. The unionized staff
of the ANA today announced their intention to vote to strike. It
appears the ANA does not practice what it preaches, which is precisely
why the Massachusetts Nurses Association is seeking to disaffiliate from
the ANA Federation in March. While the ANA is treating its own employees
with disrespect, it has spent thousands of dollars on lawyers and outside
consultants to conduct a malicious campaign to slander the Massachusetts
Nurses Association and use the lowest form of gutter tactics to stop the
MNA from leaving the ANA. It is becoming increasingly clear that
the ANA acts more like the managers and administrators unionized nurses
do battle with every day than the national union they claim to be.
Below is a press release from the union representing the staff of the
American Nurses Association.
News Release
For Immediate Release
February 14, 2001
Contact: Christine Byrams, 240.988.5870
STRIKE SEEMS IMMINENT AT ANA
Employees Frustrated as Negotiations
Fail
Washington, DC—After 10 days of contract negotiations, American
Nurses Association (ANA) employees are prepared to strike as a
last resort to
get management to take their demands seriously. ANA is the national
voice for 2.6 million registered nurses and houses the largest labor union
for registered nurses – United American Nurses. With the current
employee contract ending on February 14, negotiations have been slow and
management has been resistant to several proposals brought forth by Washington-Baltimore
Newspaper Guild/Association Staff Union (WBNG-ASU) representatives. Employees
are asking for fair opportunities for advancement, fair compensation and improvements
in their benefits package.
"It's ironic that ANA portrays itself as a strong advocate for improved
working conditions for nurses – yet they are ignoring the problems within
their own workplace," said WBNG/ASU President Christine Byrams. "We
want ANA to be as committed to its employees as it is to the nurses they
represent."
ANA employees formed a union in 1994, the Association Staff
Union (ASU), in order to address internal workplace concerns. WBNG-ASU has had
to file unfair labor practices to try to force management to process grievances
and provide information on the millions of dollars ANA has spent subcontracting
out bargaining unit work. ASU recently joined the WBNG in order to
obtain greater support and bargaining power. WBNG-ASU represents
over 120 employees at ANA.
Major points still on the negotiating table include:
- Promoting from within. Employees are asking ANA to
promote and hire internal staff rather than seeking outside candidates when
an internal
employee is qualified.
- Hiring contractors. Employees are asking ANA to utilize
internal talents rather than hiring contractors and paying them double or
more over
employee compensation.
- Increased benefits. The ANA workforce is primarily female, yet employees
receive only two weeks maternity leave. The employees' request for
six weeks paid maternity leave continues to be denied. Additionally,
ANA which prides itself on insuring the health and safety of nurses and
patients, offers no short-term disability. Even when employees are
willing to pay, management says it's too expensive and too much of an administrative
burden.
- Pay raises. ANA has given management a 4 percent wage increase plus
bonuses while offering employees only 3.25 percent – with no cost of living
increase or longevity steps. Employees are asking that ANA fairly
compensate all employees – not just management.
Ironically, ANA encourages collective bargaining activities through
its
national labor arm, United American Nurses. However, when ANA employees
participate in collective bargaining to improve their overall work environment,
they are met with resistance. If a contract agreement is not reached
by February 14, employees will take a vote on whether to strike."Employees are extremely frustrated and have voiced to union representatives
that they will support a strike," said Sheila Roit, RN. "If we can't
get the respect we deserve at the bargaining table, our management leaves
us no other option than to let them fend for themselves."
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