As a Chicago nurse, Lauren knows that the sum of any collective effort is greater than its individual parts, and in the midst of a healthcare crisis, that unity is all the more important.
By being part of a union, you are always part of something larger. You have the support when you need it. There is strength in unity. With collective bargaining, you have a voice to communicate what matters most to management.
As a nurse, I’m very fortunate to be part of a union. We have used our collective voice to bring light to major barriers and potential dangers within our workplace. With healthcare industries putting a priority on income/budgeting and metrics, collective bargaining through unionization has been one of the only ways nurses have been able to address (and be heard!) major issues in healthcare (safer staffing, nurse-patient ratios, mandatory overtime). This helps keep employees safe and in turn increases patient safety and satisfaction.