I am a member of the Ohio Nurses Association. The Ohio Nurses Association is a union and a professional association. The majority of ONAs members are members as a result of being in a local unit/collective bargaining unit/union. Practically this means if you work at a certain facility that has a ONA union contract, then you pay dues.
In my opinion and you are free to disagree with me, what this really means are the majority of the membership are paying dues because they made a choice to work in a particular facility, not because they really wanted to belong to the association. This distinction is critical.
ONAs heavy union oriented membership is not reflective of the working environment of the vast majority of RNs in Ohio because the majority of RNs in Ohio work in non-unions workplaces.
There are almost 200,000 RNs in Ohio and only 8,000 RNs (plus or minus) belong to the Ohio Nurses Association. 2,000 +/- of those nurses are like me, non-union members.
Logically and rationally an organization should promote services and products which are tailored to meet the needs of the majority of its current members NOT the minority members or prospective or potential members, right?
Therefore under this rationale the ONA should spend the majority of its resources and staff FTEs on collective bargaining and union activities because the majority of its members and money flows from collective bargaining/local unit/union members.
I am a non-union nurse member of the Ohio Nurses Association and I am glad to see my hard earned dues money (I work hard for my money, don't you?) contributing to ONA hiring for the following positions posted on ONA's website:
1. Director of Union Organizing;
2. Union Organizer; and
3. Director of Health Policy.
http://www.ohnurses.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
1 out of 3 ain't bad, right?
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