NFN Letter

[rnover40]

I got this letter in the mail from nysna about a new union called the NFN. I didn't pay much attention at the time because I was thinking more about the pension problem.

I re-read the letter today.

Good news! it says- like this is something that I should jump up and down about. Then it talks about the states like Montana and New Jersey. I don't think they have a lot of members there, not like NY does.

So am I stupid or something? What is so great about this? There was the news about the largest nurses union ever a few weeks ago which sounded really good.

Then the letter says all the things nysna did to tell the members about the union. Why do they have to do this ? It sounds like they are trying to prove something that really didn't happen. I didn't know about any of this. I am not on the board of directors, delegate assembly or a congress member.

Then there is information, "for my immediate review" but all of it hapened already, months ago and they are just telling it to us.

The best is for last, the money. Do the math.
Why can't we put that money into the pension instead?

[Lavinia]

Other members are having similar thoughts- see the thread "why can't we all get along".

Members of the leadership bodies seem to have been left out of the loop as well as the general membership and staff. It appears that four individuals were acting pretty much independently- but it is not known who the information was shared with, just who it wasn't.

One wonders what else they can do on their own!

NY is the largest union in this new national- NFN. We will be paying the larger portion of the money going into it, but our representation on the NFN board will be the same as states that have as little as 20 union members- like New jersey.

You can see the constitution here:
www.nynursesunited.org/NFN_Constitution_1.23.09.pdf

What the NFN will do for our members is unclear. The state is the "member" not the individual nurse.

While I don't believe dues money can go directly into our pension- my understanding is that only the employers can contribute to the pension- the money could certainly be used in the struggle for pension and retirement benefits. Money was requested in the budget for such a campaign and only a quarter of what was requested was approved.