Let the Litigation Begin!

Thank you Pat Kane, a fellow RN and member of the New York State Nurses Association for this information. Three New York nurses filed a lawsuit against the New York State Nurses Association in federal court. See http://www.nysun.com/article/69954?page_no=4. The lawsuit was filed in Federal District court in NYC on Jan 10, 2008. 

According to the article, Patricia Leo Holloman, Lorna Samuels, and Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez claim that the New York State Nurses Association has prevented them from taking part in membership activities because the nurses opposed the New York State Nurses Association's disaffiliation from the United American Nurses. In a complaint, the nurses said the union punished them for forming a group that campaigned against the disassociation, called the NYSNA Nurses for Unity. The lawsuit seeks the restoration of their membership and leadership positions within the union.

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The saga continues and surely there will be additional lawsuits filed in the future regarding the ANA, UAN, and Ohio, Oregon, Washington, and New York Nurses Association debacle. Litigation serves many purposes in our society and I hope what emerges is a stronger and more united nursing profession.

What do you think? Are we moving closer to a more unified profession or are we as nurses more divided and polarized than ever before?