Anti-union legislation in Florida will hurt health professionals and patient care | Opinion
I have worked as a registered nurse for almost 24 years. I’m currently in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital. I’m passionate about my work and take great pride in caring for my patients. I also take great pride in being part of my union, SEIU Local 1991.
Almost 30 years ago, nurses and doctors at Jackson Memorial Health affiliated with the Service Employees International Union to provide better protection, working conditions and pay for caregivers like me — support that helps us create better outcomes for patients.
Being a part of a union has been empowering and enlightening, giving me a chance to lead and participate in workplace decisions and to have a voice at the negotiating table with my employer. The experience has taught me about my rights as an employee and how to work collaboratively with management to seek solutions.
It has also made me a better caregiver. As a nurse, we dedicate every day toward delivering what our patients need. Our working conditions have real consequences for patients. Thanks to our union efforts, safe patient ratios are incorporated into our contracts to protect us and ensure patients receive the best possible care. Additionally, when nurses were fleeing South Florida for better-paying jobs, our union fought for higher wages to retain the best talent. Without unions, these discussions would never happen.
Unfortunately, the right to organize in Florida is being challenged, and any legal protections guaranteeing the right to negotiate a contract and any safeguards the union previously won from management are under threat.
Legislation (SB256/HB1445) moving through the state Legislature and supported by Gov. DeSantis would make joining and staying in public unions much harder. In fact, the bill would greatly impact the ability of all public-sector workers to organize and of unions to function in of Florida — except unions for police officers, firefighters and corrections officers.
While I am grateful for the service of our officers and firefighters, it is unclear why they are being carved out of this legislation. I appreciate that they put themselves in danger for the community, but what about our doctors, nurses, teachers, security guards, bus drivers and other hard-working Floridians who drive our economy, care for our families, educate our children and keep our communities running? Shouldn’t we all have the constitutional right to join a union and use our collective voice to share our concerns?
The bill also would increase the union-membership threshold to 60% of employees another unfair requirement considering you can be elected to statewide office with less than 50% of citizens casting their vote.
The right to join a union is essential; it improves workers’ lives across the state and should not be tampered with or permitted for some, but not others.
Unions are made up of nurses and many other professionals who know firsthand what we need to do our jobs and to create positive outcomes. We often work collaboratively with management to solve problems.
This legislation would be disruptive to the workplace and hurt patient care. Without a strong union, we would lose the strength of collective bargaining; nurses would have to beg for what they need and deserve — time and energy that will be taken away from our patients.
I treasure my time with patients and their families. But without my union, I am not sure I would be able to navigate such a complex system. I fear many nurses will consider leaving Florida for more protection.
We must protect our unions or there could be dire consequences. I hope we can count on our state senators to stand up for us at Jackson Health System and vote No on SB256.
Lisa Bush is a registered nurse in the Trauma ICU at Jackson Memorial Hospital. She is treasurer of SEIU Local 1991, the largest public healthcare union in Florida representing over 5,000 registered nurses, attending physicians, and healthcare professionals at Jackson Health System.
