Politics

UMass Memorial Hospital In Worcester Putting Up A No On 1 Banner Is Completely Inappropriate But Then Again So Is The Entire Ballot Question Since It’s Nurse Beef We Shouldn’t Be Voting On

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Saw this picture making the rounds on the Facebook machine today…..

As you can see, they’re putting up a “No on 1” sign right on UMass Memorial Hospital. Before we get into the most hyped ballot initiative I can ever remember, let me just say how inappropriate this is. Hospitals are where you go for health treatment. They’re not political infomercials, even if it’s about an issue that directly affects hospitals. Are you telling me this hospital has everything it could possibly need, and can therefore afford to rent a crane and put this political banner up? I don’t know a workplace in America that has spare cash. Plus, you can’t assume that your patients or your employees agree with this and it very likely makes them feel uncomfortable there. Keep work and politics separate. End of story.

Now, for Question 1, this has to be the most confusing ballot initiative I’ve ever seen. One second I’m seeing a commercial on TV of a bunch of nurses telling me to vote yes on 1. Literally thirty seconds later there’s a new batch of nurses telling me to vote no on 1. Here’s the thing – I really, really respect nurses. They can pretty much do anything. I learned this while having my first kid, because I think I saw the doctor once, and the nurses pretty much took care of everything from there. These people are well trained biological machines, and if they say something at work is needed then I believe them and want to support them.

The problem is I got one set of nurses telling me one thing and another set of nurses telling me another. I don’t believe the 86% thing the Yes votes are stressing, just from the feedback I’ve gotten from nurses. This is nothing more than nurse beef, and it really shouldn’t be left up to uninformed boobs like me. Seriously, why am I voting on someone else’s workplace requirements? Do I get to vote how many police officers are on duty in my city? Do I get to vote on maximum teacher-student ratios in classrooms? Do I get to vote for how many lap dances strippers are allowed to dole out per night at Sweaty Betty’s? Of course not. Because I shouldn’t be allowed to make administrative decisions on an industry I know nothing about.

Here’s my question – why isn’t this a union issue? Nurses are unionized, right? Every other unionized group of employees collectively bargains workplace conditions.

When we posed this question on Facebook yesterday it led to a huge thread. Tons of people offering up all sorts of information and literature. Guess what? I’m not reading any of it. Because I don’t have time. Seems like an extremely complicated question and both sides make fair points. I will never, ever cast a vote that isn’t 100% informed, and I simply don’t have time to become informed because I have kids that need shit and blogs that need to be written. For that reason I’m leaving this question blank. Although the fact that Elizabeth Warren is voting Yes kind of makes me want to vote no. But then I saw the hospital pull this move and I’m back to casting a blank ballot.

The bottom line is, don’t politicize the workplace, and don’t let voters who don’t know what the hell they’re talking about make personnel decisions at other people’s workplaces.

37 Comment(s)
  • Jack
    Jack
    October 23, 2018 at 10:15 am

    Looks illegal or unethical. Political messages, don’t belong on hospital buildings. Only in Mass.of course!

  • NO NO NO
    October 22, 2018 at 11:50 am

    Just a few reasons to vote NO:
    *Didn’t work out so well in CA.
    *Gov’t does not belong in healthcare or private businesses.
    *This is a step toward socialism.
    *This should be hashed out with the union.
    *Nurses don’t need the gen pop or govt micromanaging them.
    *The 86% they say is for it is a garbage stat.
    *The biggest reason of all that voting NO is right…
    Liz Warren is for it. That reason alone is more than enough to tell you it is not a good idea.

  • The Naked Chef
    October 21, 2018 at 11:06 am

    Yes technology will take your job, but only if you are too inflexible to adjust to new opportunities. This example although impressive is Child’s play compared to what is already possible.

  • Remember the good ole days, people actually said Nursing was robot proof
    October 21, 2018 at 10:58 am

    No job is “robot proof” machines will draw blood more accurately, move patients, perform CPR, assist surgeons, perform surgery, change IV’s, clean patients more effectively then humans.

    Machines are vigilant 24 hours a day, they can begin CPR and notify others within seconds of a cardiac event. Machines don’t take vacation, call in sick, get sleepy, walk off the job, demand raises, need breaks or have bad days. Machines only need proper maintenance. It’s coming, automated health care will be here rapidly, automated restaurants. No waiting 3 deep at the bar to order drinks. Human interaction you say, there will be a new category of medical person who’s specialty is just that, they will be nice and trained as therapists/concierges… you know be nice to people.. but robots will also do that better.

  • VOTE NO
    October 21, 2018 at 10:00 am

    It is a ‘union’ issue but it’s the smallest nurses union pushing it. They have maybe 3000 members and the state has 125,000 nurses. They’ve been pushing to get this passed for 20 years and finally got enough signatures to force it on the ballot after the state has denied it every time. The ‘86%’ commercial is based on a poll of 300 people so it’s bullshit. You can’t ask 300 people when most of them are in your union and start screaming FACTS you’re full of crap. if this passes it’ll cost tax payers more money and people are gonna lose their jobs so hospitals can hire more nurses (5000 of them and there aren’t that many available). The state shouldn’t be policing peoples jobs and they don’t want to be. It’s stupid and people should vote no

    • Big Nursing's Big Scam
      October 21, 2018 at 10:33 am

      You nailed it friend. It will lead to sub standard care in the long run after all the other medical specialties, respiratory, physical therapy, pharmacy, lab, are cut to the bone or out-sourced to pay for the nurses.

      Nurses average a minimum of $31/hour. In Boston and high demand areas and in specialities like cardio and critical care, nurses can average 75$ to $125/hour and clear almost $2000 for a 10 hour OT shift, that nobody even wants bc it’s on a weekend and their checks are so fat already their good without it.

      When a critical shift can’t be filled the OT rate is boosted by the hospital administrators with bonus money to fill the shift until somebody takes it. The only thing crazier than the money is the nurses grumpy bitchy attitudes when they have it so good. Try working in the hospital cafeteria or house keeping for shit money.

      I sure wish when all the IT jobs were outsourced to oversees and temporary work visas through temp agencies that an IT union could have used cheesy scare tactics to keep IT workers in their jobs. It was a great profession and was destroyed overnight through outsourcing because talented people cost money. They now paid talented people in India a fraction of that but it’s good money on the Indian economy.

      Just wait until AI and advanced robotics begin replacing nurses and the IT techs that service the health care equipment make the nurse money!!!! Ha haha ha ha, it’s a vicious cycle peeps, nobody is immune to “progress” it’s all in your timing whether you thrive or struggle.

  • Vote Yes
    October 21, 2018 at 6:13 am

    It would be nice if every bargaining unit in MA didn’t have to fight for safe staffing each and every contract.

    • Big Nursing Big Scam
      October 21, 2018 at 7:15 am

      It would be nice if all other occupations could have 2 or 3x the number of employees and still receive full time hours and pay and call it a safety issue to fear monger the public.

      We need 3 construction workers per jackhammer for safety and they all still get the same hours and pay. We need one wait person per 3 tables and any short comings in tips from doing 3 tables vs 8 tables will be paid to make up the difference, it’s a safety issue, hot plates and sharp knives. We need 3 Drivers per commercial vehicle for safety and they all still get the same hours and pay. We need 5 pilots per cockpit for safety.

      Must be nice to have a high paid job and massive extortion ability over the public on an associates degree. The sympathy well has run dry for Big Nursing… go eat another box of Oreos and tweet how the world is unfair to you at $75/hour, get real man!

      • Boston Murse
        October 24, 2018 at 9:28 pm

        It is an extreme minority of nurses who are making 70 dollars an hr, top Boston money, with only an Associate’s- those grandfathered in not having a Bachelor’s and who have dedicated a lifetime to nursing, and likely have the broken down body to show for it. I’m a floor nurse in Boston. I need to know a helluvalot that constantly changes and work my tail off to make sure my complicated patients get timely, safe care. I take a hurried lunch most days, let alone lazing around. It’s sad that you hold nurses in such low regard, because you or someone you love will need one some day. I hope for your sake that you get a skilled one who hasn’t left the bedside for a generally easier job in the ICU, procedural areas, education, management, business, or become an NP. Good luck.

  • MASS is SICK
    October 21, 2018 at 1:29 am

    This is nothing. Did you watch the New England Compounding trial today when a salesman admitted wrongdoing back to 2009. Thats 3 years before patients were MURDERED.
    New England Compounding acted with utter disregard for patients lives and safety.
    I cant wait until the gangster wannabe so called sales manager testifies. Immunity for playing mickey the dunce when he demanded sales people to break the law everyday. You cant make this shit up. Turtleboy should uncover the truth that most major news stations swept under the rug. NECC was big time corrupt. 80 people died and 800 others were sickened because animals in charge like gangsta wanna be were greedy.

  • It's Yeah not yeh
    October 21, 2018 at 12:36 am

    The government dies such a wonderful job at running just about everything. Why wouldn’t I want them sticking their noses in private hospitals? What could go wrong?

  • No, fuckers. Hard no
    October 20, 2018 at 11:08 pm

    lets not glorify or vilify nurses as a whole. I’ve had some nasty ones, seen absurd wastes of resources in useless ER nurses laughing it up with patients in the halls in pain(classless), and then have friends who cry at their losses and genuinely care. We all have our anecdotes just like for cops and teachers. Bottom line is voters need to stay the fuck out of it. They don’t like their hours or pay they can quit. It’s a private industry and we have no business telling them what the fuck to do. I’m disappointed you can’t say that Shell Shocker- your articles are getting worse and worse, buddy 

    • Centralized Planning Failed in USSR, we don't need more of it.
      October 21, 2018 at 12:04 am

      This issue should be handled by best practices and market forces. The nurse unions are the ones who made this a ballot question, they may have outwitted themselves which wouldn’t be hard to do. The public didn’t ask to be involved in this, the nurses forced the issue as one of the 4 big unions Police, Fire, Teachers and Nurses. You don’t agree… well the you don’t care about health care! or maybe we won’t treat you after an accident.. how do ya like them apples mutha fucker!

      Next we could have laws for bartender to customers ratio, waitpersons, carpenters to square footage, town workers to road miles and acreage, grocery store clerks to items stocked X number of customers, mechanics to automobiles, consumer products to population as a whole…. gosh how is any of this accomplished without the force of law?

  • Diversity is Cancer
    October 20, 2018 at 6:40 pm

    Diversity in medicine if you don’t support medical diversity you are a xenophobe and racist.

  • Awakening Evil
    October 20, 2018 at 6:29 pm

    Have no fear, arrogant Western Medicine the “medicine” of the man will soon be replaced with cheap and easy 3rd world medicine. Medicine for profit will be a thing of the past. Nurse staffing will not be an issue, there will be no nurses or MD’s or any of that. Thank you Democrats and George Soros funded invasions!! Universal black magic health insurance Yayyy! 🙂

    • Uhmmm soap and water "cures" more people then all the witch doctors combined.
      October 20, 2018 at 6:37 pm

      Advice to witchdoctors every where, when handling jars full of poop, dead animal remains and unknown rotting gunk in the desert wear gloves and a mask. This simple practice can help prevent the “hex” or “evil spirits” from making you sick.

  • William Lynch
    October 20, 2018 at 6:15 pm

    This is the dumbest article I have ever read. God forbid a hospital take a stand on a ballot question that effects them financially and could literally shut down s aller hospitals. Ignorant

  • Linda
    October 20, 2018 at 3:39 pm

    It’s not a crane, it’s a boom lift. And yes, some hospitals have millions, even billions, tucked away in off short bank accounts. Why hospitals are stacking up millions in profits seems just wrong, but with the opioid crisis what it is everyone is getting rich off it.

    • Show me the money
      October 20, 2018 at 5:07 pm

      That makes no sense at all, unless your commenting on the drug dealers and scam treatment clinics. If it is true where is my opiate crisis money????

      Everybody else gets OPIATE CRISIS MONEY, millions even, but Nooooo… I don’t get a penny of Opiate Crisis money… greedy nurses and hospitals!!

    • Hard NO on 1
      October 22, 2018 at 1:57 am

      If question 1 is passed THAT is what will shut down hospitals. This is another small step to making America a socialist country.
      CA has tried this and they’ve closed more than 80 hospitals. Obviously they have other problems too, but it’s the closest example in the US we have to go by.
      The point is gov’t needs to stay out of healthcare. Every part of it.

  • John Wypyszinski
    Herr Doktor
    October 20, 2018 at 1:05 pm

    Hold it Healy took time out from suing the President to help craft this pile of shit – do you really want the idiots like her and Michelle Dubois having a say in anything to do with healthcare? I wouldn’t trust them to scoop the poop behind the elephants in the circus let alone make decisions about anyone’s healthcare.

  • Johnny Gage
    October 20, 2018 at 12:45 pm

    A co-worker has two female cousins who are nurses. Each works in the ER at different hospitals. One cousin supports question 1 and the other is against it. Go figure? If the nurses can’t all agree on this issue and form a unified front, for or against, then the question should be pulled from a public vote. Negotiate at the bargaining table not through the voting booth.

  • deflatteddoritodinks
    Deflateddoritodinks
    October 20, 2018 at 8:59 am

    You don’t get to vote on half this shit. The state forced nursing homes to give unfunded raises to all the aides when it is nigh impossible to find aides anyway. So no need for the state to dicktate raises.

  • Rockets Redglare
    October 20, 2018 at 8:37 am

    This is “Initiative” started in California, perfect for Calichusetts.
    Medical error is now considered to be the third leading cause of death in the U.S., they should have made a connection between the two.
    I’m voting fuck no….

  • Chuck the Cuck Deval Baker
    October 20, 2018 at 8:06 am

    Hi Governor Deval Baker here, I am currently in negotiations with TBS to buy this entire domain and dedicate this site to Social Justice, Groping, Speaking out both sides of my mouth and the further exploration of groping and sexual assault as a hobby and sport while simultaneously fighting against sexual assault.

    Tall BullShit will be the new name once I am replaced as Governor of Massachusetts by a Democrat nobody has ever heard of because, I never came through for my base not once and Mass voters vote for the D no matter who, Charles Manson could have been elected in Mass if He put a D after his name. Have a good day and remember I love abortion, oppose the 2nd amendment, love illegal aliens and hate President Trump while I take credit for Trump’s economy.

    Thanks you,
    Ps I have found the following video useful in learning to use social media.

  • Nurse Ratchet
    October 20, 2018 at 7:37 am

    Greedy nursing union want’s more over time and nurses hired to pay into their union. Greedy nursing homes and hospitals don’t want to double their work force costs. Many Massachusetts hospitals are extremely in debt and losing money. Umass Memorial just lawed off 17 employees in this economy, to save money.

    You can thank ILLEGAL Aliens and junkies for running medical centers into the ground. Hospitals are required by law to treat anyone whether they can pay or not. We the tax payers pay a large part and the hospitals eat the rest of the costs.

    Nurses make good money and their OT is better than Police detail OT a coffee in one hand cell phone in the other, not looking at traffic or texting in their cruiser.

    Nursing home and hospitals costs will go up dramatically, if you thought supporting somebody in a shitty nursing home was expensive before just wait until you double the number of nurses texting and bitching on every shift while the nurses aids and health technicians do all the dirty work.

    • Noreen Faudree
      October 20, 2018 at 9:09 am

      That is a horrible video. Fuck every one of them.

  • Bill Clinton
    October 20, 2018 at 7:30 am

    It is a violation of state law for public resources to be used to promote a ballot initiative, either yay or nay.

    Someone needs to file a complaint with the state ethics and attorney general’s office pronto.

    • Dr. Grabbass
      October 20, 2018 at 7:42 am

      Bill, you’re missing the big picture here. Yes on 1 means not only more nurses but more nurses with free time. More nurses with more CNAs. Add mandatory breaks and student loans to the equation and it should start to come into focus.

      • No 1
        October 22, 2018 at 11:41 am

        You’ll get to have even longer time to wait if 1 passes because this will all cost too much and hospitals will close and people will crowd the next closest ER.
        This is a union issues. It doesn’t belong on a ballot.
        The long wait times, patient overload, expenses could all be solved by not treating people who aren’t legal citizens. Illegals use ERs as if they’re doctor offices. They show up for little sniffles. Then they duck out on paying their bills. This is 1 of the reasons CA has had to close 80+ hospitals.
        You want a ballot question regarding ER nursing? Make it be that no hospital is required to treat anyone who can’t prove legal status. At least in non- emergency situations.
        Govt just needs to stay out of healthcare all together.

    • Martha Coakley Speaks
      October 20, 2018 at 8:25 am

      It’s not illegal to be illegal or do illegal things in Mass, just axe AJ Baker, Mass State Police, the former Senate President’s ex gay husband, Mass Environmental Police, Gary Studds, Barney Fwank and Hot Bottom, Boston FBI office, Joe Early and Judge BJ’s for heroin daughter, the past 2 or 3 Mass Senate Presidents, Woman of color Elizabeth Warren…..

    • deflatteddoritodinks
      Maura Feeley
      October 20, 2018 at 8:52 am

      I’m too busy suing Trump to do my job. Fuck you.

      • bigdaddy
        Martha Coakley
        October 20, 2018 at 10:31 am

        You promised me 1 hour of scissoring If I let you be AG Now pay up

  • Where are the civilian flaggers?
    October 20, 2018 at 7:29 am

    If you don’t think that you should even be voting on this (I agree) then that’s an automatic no vote. What’s with everything being a law these days? Are people that afraid of free markets determining the value of their time? Nurses are scarce enough and compensated accordingly. 

  • The Doctor
    October 20, 2018 at 7:02 am

    Best blog in a long time.
    Shame on umass for putting patients in the middle of an awkward, ugly family argument every time they see that sign.

  • Gail T
    October 20, 2018 at 6:13 am

    VOTE NO on QUESTION 1 

    With all due respect to the wonderful nurses who I know and love, mandated nurse staffing levels can only happen at the expense of other people who work in the hospital. Hospitals will have to cut staff elsewhere, in order to make up for the added expense of hiring more nurses.

    Many people have no idea how many OTHER people are helping you in the hospital – because they work behind the scenes. Pharmacy, respiratory therapy, phlebotomy, PT, lab, and many more. They get little recognition and they do not get NEARLY the support that nurses do, because nurses are the biggest and most powerful bloc in the system. 

    Hospital admins can and DO know how to maintain safe staffing levels. It is in their BEST INTEREST to maintain safe staffing levels! They don’t need a mandate to make them do it.

    You’ll see what happens when they start cutting elsewhere, in order to fund the nurses staffing levels. And they WILL CUT. Good luck sitting around with your 1 nurse waiting for your meds to arrive, while praying that the short-staffed pharmacy mixed your IV properly.

    A LOT of people who help keep you safe in the hospital will lose their jobs if this bill goes through. DISASTER.

    Vote NO on question 1.

    • lol free healthcare
      October 20, 2018 at 10:24 am

      I’m voting NO just on general principle. I don’t want more legislation to solve “problems” that are caused by terribly run companies/businesses/hospitals/etc.

      Obviously the people who run these things are garbage. UMass lost like $22,000,000 last year because they’re fucking retards.

      And a big part is because of the laws mandating who they must treat. Go in the ER/waiting area any time of day, and report back to me what you see. Don’t be afraid to offend anyone.

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