Massachusetts Nurse | July 2004

Fighting managment with MNA's help wins back pay—and respect

Rita Losee works on West 2 at Whidden Memorial Hospital in Everett. In November of 2003, she went off of work due to illness. When she was able to return to work, as determined by her physician, the hospital would not allow her to do so and the MNA initiated a grievance on Rita's behalf. That grievance was resolved two months ago when the hospital agreed to return Rita to her job and to compensate her for all of her lost wages, seniority and benefits. The following are Rita's thoughts on her experience over the past six months.

By Rita Losee

As a nurse since 1963, I frequently speak to nursing groups. One idea I convey is that I have been listening to nurses lament the lack of respect they've been shown since the very beginning of their careers. The same complaint for 40 years! I always answer the same way when I hear this complain: The quickest way to get respect from "them" is to respect ourselves and each other. Until we do, like Rodney Dangerfield says, we won't "get no respect."

As a profession, we have expended far too much time and far too many brain cells in complaining about "them." We can't control "them." We are however in a better position to control our professional experiences than we have ever been.

The business of hospitals is nursing care. We are the very reason that the industry exists. If "they" don't have nurses, "they are out of business!" That puts us in a very powerful position.

We—all of us, every single one of us—need to protect the power of our profession and not let up our efforts until the needs of patients and nurses begin to determine the conditions of our workplace. The MNA unit at Whidden has done, and is doing, an outstanding job of asserting this power.

Speaking from personal experience, the MNA recently settled a grievance for me that will directly deposit six months worth of back pay into my checking account. I will lose NO benefits from the six months I was barred from working, and I will forever be grateful for the help I have been given in righting an injustice. There is no way that I could have had such a successful outcome without MNA's backing and resources. After all, it's very hard for a nurse with no cash flow to pay a $5,000 retainer fee and $200 an hour in legal fees to mount a lawsuit.

There have been times at Whidden when I have suggested to my colleagues, "Write up an unsafe staffing report," or, "Report that situation." I've also heard comments like, "It won't do any good." But I disagree! Every time we choose not to shine the light on events that evidence disrespect to us, we are tacitly agreeing that it's okay for "them" to treat us—and our patients—disrespectfully.

Are there risks that come with speaking up? Yes. Whenever anyone tries to change the status quo, any other party who likes it the old way is going to resist. I'll never be able to—or even try—to prove that one of the reasons I was summarily dumped on my gluteus was related to my willingness to speak out when I discovered that my integrity being violated.

Was it hard to be on such an intimate relationship with MasterCard for the past six months at a time when medical bills were outrageous? Yes! Was it hard to feel so disrespected by my boss? Absolutely, yes. But far, far worse would have been to not speak out, and then have my self respect violated as a result.

Was it worth it? Absolutely, yes. I've never had six months off with pay before.

But more than the dollars is that with the help of MNA, I was able to maintain my integrity and not lose either my job or my income as a result. I asked to be able to write something for this newsletter so that my experience of overcoming injustice, and just plain bad management, might encourage other MNA members to be direct, forthright, active and powerful in the ongoing effort to make nursing safe for nurses. Thank you MNA!