Nurses in Miami act for safety and patient care: A letter from Florida

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A group of nurses represented by the SEIU in Miami, concerned over the union's inaction around serious issues affecting its members, are taking the initiative on their own to fight for their patients' care and safety. For too long, these nurses have seen too many compromises made by a local union so interested in a partnership with hospital administrators that it ignores the needs of the nurses on the floor. After making large union contributions to the Miami Commissioners, the union fell flat in pressuring the Commissioners to support demands that benefit both the nurses and the health community. While the Commissioners spend the nurses' dues money to get elected, they signed off on no raises for nurses for three years. Every day, talk circulates in the hospital of more cutbacks, placing more hardships on an already overburdened system. Is this what the nurses should expect when union leaders decide it's more important to have partnership with the hospital administrators than with its own members?

At first, in an effort to have their issues addressed, these nurses had hoped to get rid of SEIU and bring in the California Nurses Association. However, in an all out war, CNA lost in its challenge against SEIU. But in less time than it takes to lick the wounds, CNA signed an agreement to form a partnership with SEIU. This left the nurses feeling betrayed and out in the cold. In their experience, they feel that, as a result of the partnership, neither union adequately represents the nurses.

Without union support from either CNA or SEIU, one group of nurses took action to get the hospital's attention on issues they felt were not being addressed in their unit over safe patient care. They put together a letter listing concerns to the hospital administrator, signed by the nurses. A designated group marched to the administrative offices and, after reading it out loud, presented it. The hospital was quick to respond. Management promised an immediate review of the letter, and a meeting followed to discuss permanent solutions. These nurses are committed to standing up for their patients and speaking out when anything gets in the way of high standards of patient care and safety. While SEIU and CNA are distracted by the terms of a self serving partnership, many nurses in Miami have decided to move on despite a leadership that seems to have lost focus on their needs.