Watch videos of nurses testifying at the Safe Staffing legislative hearing and videos and hear Legacy nurses tell their stories.
Welcome
Welcome to the United Nurses of Legacy website. Here you can find information about United Nurses of Legacy, upcoming UNL events, and links to other interesting resources.
Supporting The Union
Nurses at Legacy continue to gather support from RNs across the Legacy system. Signing the recognition petition is the first step under the NLRB to assess interest by nurses on whether they want union recognition. Sign = Change
Registered Nurses from several Legacy facilities showing their support for Nurse’s right to union representation.
Carinne Peters, RN, Legacy Emanuel TRACU, talked to elected officials, Representative Tina Kotek, Representative Brad Whitt, Representative Diane Rosenbaum, Senator Laurie Monnes-Anderson, and Senator Kate Brown at AFT Healthcare NW’s sponsored June forum on Minimum Staffing Ratio legislation. In response to Carinne’s testimony, echoed by dozen’s of other nurses, Brad Whitt along with the other elected officials called for a fall forum to discuss the weaknesses of HB 2800. Brad further called for an investigation of Legacy’s staffing practices that might harm patient care.
AFT Healthcare NW Forms New State-Wide Coalition to promote Minimum Staffing Legislation
RN Leaders from Legacy, and OFNHP, AFT Healthcare NW are forming a
state-wide coalition to promote their staffing legislation in 2009.
This coalition will represent a broad spectrum of nurses, health
professionals and patient advocates.
For information regarding participation on this coalition, call Helen
Lee, Organizing Director AFT Healthcare NW (971) 645-7769
AFT Healthcare NW Forms New State-Wide Coalition to promote Minimum Staffing Legislation
RN Leaders from Legacy, and OFNHP, AFT Healthcare NW are forming a
state-wide coalition to promote their staffing legislation in 2009.
This coalition will represent a broad spectrum of nurses, health
professionals and patient advocates.
For information regarding participation on this coalition, call Helen
Lee, Organizing Director AFT Healthcare NW (971) 645-7769
Union Contract Gives Voice and Respect
Fair Treatment of Nurses = Safe Patient Care
We, the RNs of United Nurses of Legacy, have a right to union representation in order to improve staffing ratios thus improving patient care. Unionization wins nurses legal voice and respect on the job, which allows nurses to legally defend safe patient care and improve community standards for all Registered Nurses.
How will forming a union with United Nurses of Legacy AFT Healthcare NW help RNs provide better patient care?
As Registered Nurses, it is our job is to advocate for our patients and ensure they receive the best and most appropriate care possible. Studies repeatedly show that it is dangerous for patients when RNs have too many patients to care for at one time. RNs must have a "real" voice in managing the ratio of patients to nurses for patients to be safe. RNs have joined unions throughout the country to improve and enforce staffing ratios within their respective hospitals. We have always believed Kaiser Permanente RNs represented by AFT Healthcare NW, has the best staffing in Oregon because they have a strong union. That is one of the many reasons United Nurses of Legacy chose AFT Healthcare NW to represent them.
Our union contract, which will be negotiated between RNs elected by their peers, and management, is a legally binding document, which addresses wages, benefits and working conditions.
Typical language addresses:
A regular schedule of wage increases for all RNs and overtime protection
Health/Dental benefits, Pension Plan, Short and long term disability
JUST CAUSE provisions - i.e. no one may be terminated or disciplined without a fair process represented by RN peers (RNs elect their representatives) (This is different from internal processes which lack any legal representation for RNs)
Protection of seniority rights
Clearly defined vacations, holidays, breaks
Scheduling protections that are not arbitrary, unsafe, or constantly changing.
Grievance procedures controlled by RN representatives
Paid Education opportunities
Staffing committees that make binding decisions related to patient to nurse ratios (In the absence of staffing ratios legislation in Oregon which UNL and OFNHP have proposed, unionized RNs at Kaiser have a much stronger process then HB2800)
Professional Practice Committees made up of RNs who work with management to improve the quality of care for all patients, and address issues related to the delivery of care and the management of the hospital. (This is quite different from governance committees which lack a legal voice for RNs)
Why United Nurses of Legacy chose a "teacher's union" to represent them?
Three years ago, Legacy nurses were concerned about the direction of the Legacy Health System and looked into forming a union. This is not the first time Legacy nurses have looked toward union membership as an answer their concerns. In their latest efforts, they looked at several unions representing nurses in Oregon. They believed AFT Healthcare NW did a better job representing the concerns of nurses. These nurses formed the group called United Nurses of Legacy with the support of the AFT to build a union for Legacy nurses. (see attached mission statement)
In fact, AFT Healthcare (that's us) represents more than 70,000 members in 100 democratically elected locals in 18 states and territories. AFT has a very diverse membership, with members in more than 6,000 job titles working in the public and private sector in hospitals, clinics, home health agencies and schools throughout the United States. Many members are Registered Nurses, but the union also represents LPNs, technicians, technologists, therapists, aides, clerical personnel, service and maintenance workers, pharmacists and doctors. In the Portland metro area the AFT represents the nurses working at Kaiser Permanente and Providence Milwaukie, and those nurses have been actively helping us with this campaign.
In Oregon, AFT has recently added 30,000 classified staff working for the Oregon school districts. This brings the total membership affiliation in AFT Oregon unions to over 33,000. If you were to add the United Nurses of Legacy to that roster of Oregon professional members it is easy to see how we would have the kind of political clout necessary to bring about change in our professional working lives and the lives of patients in the State of Oregon. It is clear why management is so concerned.
What has United Nurses of Legacy accomplished thus far given its mission?
We have created and held Continuing Education classes for RNs which hundreds of people attended. RNs from Legacy developed and facilitated these classes. Professional development is one of the things making AFT uniquely suited to RNs. Subjects we have addressed include:
Pain Management
Leadership Development
Minimum staffing legislation
Legal Rights of RNs
Protecting RN License
Media Training
Use of Restraints
Acted in the capacity of a Union, as we worked to form a Union
Some of the issues we have collectively and successfully addresses
Access to fresh air for our psychiatric patients
Access to fresh water for NICU nurses at Emanuel
Facilitated a Workers Rights Board Hearing with over 300 participants
Protected union supportive RNs from management retaliation
Created a personal relationship with our community
More than 110 faith community leaders, representing a wide spectrum of faith, support the United Nurses of Legacy campaign
250+ community organizations and members support our campaign
Small Businesses from around our hospitals support our campaign
Participated in our JWJ Faith Labor Breakfast
Attended our JWJ Annual dinner
Created and staffed Blood Pressure booths all over Portland metro
And, we actively reach out to community leaders and organizations on a daily basis in our commitment to improving community health and excellence!
AND, we made history utilizing our partnerships with the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals and Oregon AFT to be one of the first, and only, organizing drives to propose minimum staffing legislation to the State of Oregon. Although this first trip through the legislative process did not produce the law we had hoped for, Rep. Tina Kotek has made a commitment to "champion" our legislation in the future. We feel confident that UNITED we can make this legislation a reality in the future. This was done as an "organizing drive;" imagine what we can accomplish as a UNION!!
Introduced legislation on minimum staffing
Over 1000 RNs signed our staffing petition
Successful hearing for staffing Ratios at the Oregon State Capitol
What is the United Nurses of Legacy?
If you are new to our organizing campaign or this is your first time hearing about UNL, read our mission statement to find out why we're organizing with AFT Healthcare. To get an overview of United Nurses of Legacy and its parent organizations, visit the section our structure.
Read Dr. Gordon Lafer's article on the nursing shortage which he based his testimony on at the May 31st community forum on safe staffing.
To learn about other major additions or announcements at UNL check our What's Happening? section. If you want to stay in the know about UNL, this is the page to bookmark!
Get active!
United Nurses of Legacy is an active organization. Through our various programs we are working to enhance the professional lives of nurses at Legacy. Visit the Our Structure section for information on our Continuing Education, Community and Legislative, and Associate Membership programs and more.
Stay informed!
Looking for articles or research on topics that affect you at work every day? Looking for links to other nurse advocacy organizations? Our RN Resources section is an ever growing compendium of articles and links relating to your profession.
