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What are unions good for?

2 min read

My nursing career in a local community hospital spanned more than three decades, from the mid-1970s to 2007. We were unionized employees, switching from the Pennsylvania Nurses Association to the Service Employees International Union in the 1990s. I never felt SEIU did anything for me other than shrink my paycheck.

When the hospital was acquired by a new corporate entity, the union provided no protection of benefits. The pension plan ceased, overtime after eight hours became overtime after only 40 hours, and we became responsible for paying a portion of our health care premiums, all without any union negotiations.

Unions these days protect the troublemakers and fund the left-wing party. White-collar professionals in medical care are in demand and have wages and benefits driven by the local marketplace. A good employee has little reason to feel they could lose their job unjustly.

I’m so proud of nurses who have over 30 years of hospital service, like I did. But I have only pity for the young and middle-aged nurses paying into Social Security, Medicare and then also having to pay union dues. I’m not sure they’ll ever reap the benefits.

Rose Whipkey

Carmichaels

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