Is it time to consider becoming a Union member?

    You drive to work everyday, and oftentimes you feel dejected or simply demoralized given that your workplace needs go unmet or your employer has become less PA supportive. In fact, you have started to feel more of an assembler in an assembly line than actually a highly regarded and respected professional clinician. And this is all due to your employer’s current workplace culture. One that’s purely profit-driven even though they claim & pretend to be a patient-centered working environment. Yet, clearly no regard for you wellbeing or work-life balance for that matter.

    But before too long, you feel that you have been placing yourself at risk more and more just to keep the assembly line alive, however, deep down you  feel disrespected and devalued since your employer’s work expectations are simply unrealistic, always adding to the daily workload.

    You have tried to re-negotiate your contract, to find a satisfactory resolution to the dilemma at hand. But your efforts continuously fall short. Your efforts and attempts are dismissed and any hopeful potential dialogue to remediate the flagrant indifference goes to the wayside. Much to your chagrin & dismay any expected concessions are trumped, always due to some budget issues excuses,yet they keep raking in the money…at your expense, naturally.

    You ask yourself, “what do I do now?” In a split second you consider resigning  and dusting off the old resume to embark in an unpredictable job hunt.But,then you realize you have vested time and effort in your unpalatable working conditions.

    However the question you should be asking yourself is this one: should I rally my colleagues to unionize? Followed by “why not?” and “what I/we got to lose”?  I know because I have been there and done that! Don’t allow Paralysis Analysis to interfere with leveling your playing field or your possible negative views of unions hold you back. After all, it might be your only recourse if you have no voice or representation at the table. Ask yourself this, is it time for unionizing?

To facilitate your decision consider the following steps:

1.Research, research and research all your options.

2.examine your past & current employer-employee working relations history

3.suspend  or set aside your preliminary union biases you may have.

4.follow your heart/instincts..