As
I see it
by
John Karebian, Associate Executive Director for Labor
Relations
As we move into the New Year, I am excited that MNA
continues to explore new horizons and opportunities
for growth. We have developed a strategic plan that
helps to map our future direction. But while we are
working to grow, we unfortunately continue to struggle
with those who appear to put the power and privilege
of certain individuals ahead of the interests of our
members as a whole. It is time for MNA and the American
Nurses Association (ANA) to confront this issue directly
and acknowledge that the concept of unionism provokes
ideological discomfort in some. This discomfort, however,
should not be an excuse for ANA to interfere in the
internal democratic struggle of staff nurses in Michigan
to build a stronger MNA. On this, the 40th anniversary
of our E&GW Labor Program, it’s time for
MNA to ensure that we are capable and ready to meet
the challenges of the future to continue to be the
voice of registered nurses in Michigan.
The disrespectful and patronizing letter sent to MNA
members by ANA President Barbara Blakeney in December
only escalates a dispute in the Association over policies
and philosophy that has been building for years. Staff
nurses have long been displeased with their second-class
status within ANA. Blakeney’s organizational
hostility towards MNA and open defiance of the right
of staff nurses to make decisions regarding their
future is an abuse of her power and seriously jeopardizes
MNA’s relationship with ANA.
MNA’s struggle is not about individual people.
Instead it is a struggle to strengthen the position
of the staff nurse in the workplace, to secure our
members’ economic needs, to provide political
and legislative influence, and to safeguard the primary
role of the staff nurse in patient advocacy. We cannot
afford to follow the fossilized views endorsed by
some of our state and national leaders in the past
at the expense of our future. It is time for us to
change.
In 1980, researchers from the University of Wisconsin
conducted a study of why nurses discontinued their
membership in the ANA. The study found six main reasons
why this occurred: 1) ANA’s dues are too high,
2) activities are irrelevant, 3) ANA is dominated
by administrators and educators, 4) there is disagreement
with ANA’s emphasis on quantity of education,
5) ANA’s lack of services, and 6) ANA’s
legislative impotency. Can anyone honestly suggest
that nurses feel differently 25 years later? In the
25 years since this study, ANA’s union membership
within state nurses associations has dropped from
approximately 120,000 registered nurses to approximately
100,000. These are telling statistics, and they tell
us that the status quo doesn’t work.
In order to survive, in order to thrive, we have to
change. We have to speak with one voice. We have to
remove the obstacles that have prevented us from doing
that. We have to focus on our future. Our members
do not have to apologize to ANA or anyone for seeking
to secure their future through a more powerful union.
How we change is our members’ decision, not
ANA’s.
At a time when the nursing profession is being threatened
by many external challenges, MNA is committed to building
a strong union of nurses with a commitment to economic
security, nursing excellence, and patient advocacy.
Happy 40th anniversary, Michigan RNs. And thank you
for your part in making MNA a strong vibrant labor
program we can all be proud of.
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