Does anyone out there have experience with nursing unions? My new job requires me to join a union, and I just learned that our contract expired ten months ago and is still under negotiation. I also learned that I will only be charged quarterly dues if I earn a certain amount each quarter. Any advice?

Depends on the union. SEIU no, CNA yes

What do you mean? I'm not sure I understand your reply. Sorry.

The only union I know of which is for nurses is CNA/NNOC. SEIU, another union is very much approved by some hospitals, because it's representation very much sides with the hospital. CNA has successfully changed many things in California, the most recent the safe patient to nurse ratios. About ten years ago, CNA also successfully supported and helped change to the 8 hour work day, meaning anything over 8 hours is overtime, rather than anything over 40 hours is overtime. CNA supports and represents nurses only and since we are the largest part of the healthcare work force, we may finally have a huge voice in what direction healthcare goes towards. SEIU represents everyone from housekeeping to pharmacists.

Very interesting, in that I just won SEIU's first-ever Nurse Blogger Scholarship, and I know nothing about them! Thanks for the info!

The biggest problem with nurses, are nurses. We can't ever agree on anything. Physicians have a union, it's called the AMA and it most certainly is a union, providing unity and lobbyists. One of the biggest reasons physicians have so much power in this country.

A union does not always mean strikes. Sometimes a strike does happen, but most often strikes are averted. I've heard more nurses say I won't strike, what about the patients? My comment to this is what about your family? What about being paid what you're worth, have the benefits you work for instead of continually being taken away? What about not being fired because a manager doesn't like you? CNA has stopped this in California and is helping to stop this practice now in other states.
Nurses are people. We are not angels, we are not super humans. Just ordinary people who have made our life's work, taking care of others. Yet, no one takes care of us.