Collective bargaining provides nurses with the opportunity to discuss and negotiate about issues related to their professional welfare. Through collective bargaining, nurses can deliberate on various issues, including employee pay, working hours, training, and health and safety. Despite the importance of collective bargaining for any profession, some unions have served contrary to the nurses' interest. The first nurse union came into existence following the turn of the 20 th century. Therefore, joining the union has remained a controversial aspect due to its far-reaching division among members. Opponents of collective bargaining practices believe that it promotes unethical and unprofessional practices. Although unions solve many nursing-related problems, collective bargaining has negative implications as it promotes restricted membership, lack of autonomy, divided loyalty, and conflict.
Collective bargaining has restricted membership, thereby leaving out other potential stakeholders in the nursing profession. According to the National Relations Labor Act (NRLA) of 1935, labor unions only recognize employees as individuals with the mandate to engage in collective bargaining with the employers (Huston, 2013). However, such a narrow definition exempts individuals in the nursing profession, including the private practice nurse, student nurses, and nursing instructors, from collective bargaining. Unions should play a significant role in uniting stakeholders in the nursing fraternity. However, adherence to codes such as the NRLA creates a rift among nurses, thereby contributing to division among professionals.
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The question about the autonomy of the nurse remains a significant consideration when discussing collective bargaining. As the name suggests, collective bargaining revolves around shared problems, interests, and prosperity. The union leaders seek to resolve issues as a whole rather than focus on individual problems (Cherry & Jacob, 2016). The implication of collective bargaining is the encroachment of the individual autonomy of the nurses. Nursing officers are bound to play by the union rules with potential punishment or sanctioned if they do otherwise. The existence of collective problems does not mean that nurses have no personal issues. Unfortunately, such bodies are only concerned with matters that affect a significant number of nurses.
The potential for conflicts and confrontation with nurses union remains high. In the last century, nurses' unions have been characterized by demonstrations and picketing. In most cases, the unions come with high bargaining positions to establish leverage (Moody, 2014). The government might fail to adhere to the nurses' demands ushering in a period of back and forth with the authorities. The biggest casualty during this period is the patient. The code of ethics asserts that nurses should always place the interests of the patients first. They must also promote beneficence and non-maleficence. However, failing to appear at their work stations due to industrial actions goes against the fundamental moral duties that a nurse has for patients (Moody, 2014). The hospital is a unique environment due to patients' constant presence, including the ones under critical conditions. Nurses should not sacrifice their professional duties for personal gains.
Collective bargaining can also contribute to divided loyalty between the employer and the union. The employer is responsible for paying the dues of the nurses and guaranteeing their welfare. Most hospital organizations and nursing homes require the unwavering commitment of the nurse. However, unions have specific demands that sometimes conflict with employers (Briskin, 2011). The union leadership requires nurses to maintain loyalty, especially when they demand industrial actions. Therefore, the nurses become liable to both the union and the employer. Such a climate creates confusion and divided loyalty among the nurse.
However, nursing as a profession faces significant problems ranging from a shortage of nurses and poor remuneration. Through collective bargaining, nurses can secure greater benefits, including higher wages, better pensions, and job security. Generally, unions create a favorable working environment leading to better patient outcomes (Clark & Clark, 2006). The unions also foster nursing interests, such as continuous education and safe working environments. Collective bargaining provides nurses with the leverage that intimidates the government to bend into their demands and desires (McIntyre & McDonald, 2013). Without collective representation, nurses would be left to pursue their individual needs, which are challenging and impossible, especially when dealing with governments. However, the disadvantages of collective bargaining outweigh its benefits.
Besides collective bargaining, nurses have the opportunity to pursue their interests through legal settlement in the court of law. Industrial courts are specifically constituted to handle such cases. Engaging in industrial actions through picketing, strikes, and demonstration jeopardizes the welfare of the patient. Nurses must remain selfless in their quest to pursue their interests (Brady, 2010). They are uniquely placed to safeguard patients' lives and should, therefore, not place their interests above those of their clients. Although collective bargaining helps nurses safeguard their welfare, it often creates bad relationships with the employers and the government in general (Sojourner, Frandsen, Town, Grabowski, & Chen, 2015). The aggressive strategies employed have an adverse long-term effect on the relationship between the stakeholders.
In conclusion, although unions solve many nursing-related problems, collective bargaining has negative implications as it promotes restricted membership, lack of autonomy, divided loyalty, and conflict. Through collaborative bargaining, nurses safeguard their welfare by advocating for better wages and benefits. Unions are also critical in improving the job security of the clients. However, nurses should avoid them because of their role in jeopardizing the autonomy of the nurse. Industrial actions are associated with unethical practices as they encourage nurses to abandon patients. The unions also compel the nurses to pay their allegiance to both the employer and the union leadership. Such an environment creates confusion.
References
Brady, M. S. P. R. N. (2010). Healthy nursing academic work environments. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing , 15 (1).
Briskin, L. (2011). The militancy of nurses and union renewal. Transfer: European Review of Labor and Research , 17 (4), 485-499.
Cherry, B., & Jacob, S. R. (2016). Contemporary nursing: Issues, trends, & management . Elsevier Health Sciences.
Clark, P. F., & Clark, D. A. (2006). Union strategies for improving patient care: The key to nurse unionism. Labor Studies Journal , 31 (1), 51-70.
Huston, C. J. (2013). Professional issues in nursing: Challenges and opportunities . Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
McIntyre, M., & McDonald, C. (2013). Realities of Canadian nursing . Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Moody, K. (2014). Competition and conflict: Union growth in the US hospital industry. Economic and Industrial Democracy , 35 (1), 5-25.
Sojourner, A. J., Frandsen, B. R., Town, R. J., Grabowski, D. C., & Chen, M. M. (2015). Impacts of unionization on quality and productivity: Regression discontinuity evidence from nursing homes. ILR Review , 68 (4), 771-806.
