Supervision Concepts and Practices of Management
Critical Incident 1-2
Stop the Union
Marilyn Becker, the second-shift cardiac care unit nursing supervisor at Pine Village Community Medical Center (CMC), overheard several disgruntled nurses talking about forming a union. Specifically, Becker heard one long-service nurse, Lisa Maggart, say, “The hospital isn’t a fun place to work anymore. We’re expected to do more with less. I’m so frustrated! We constantly have to meet higher productivity and quality standards. Those people in administration don’t care about the patients-just their wallets. We haven’t had a merit raise in three years. There is safety in numbers, and the Professional Nurses Association would give us clout in dealing with the administration.”
Shortly thereafter, Becker reported what she had heard to Denise Capp, director of nursing services. Always one to “fire from the hip,” Capp sent a memo to all shifts and department supervisors: “Our agenda right now must be to stop this union organizing effort, and I expect you to help me.” She continued, “Watch everybody. Find out who the disgruntled workers are and who the union sympathizers are, and report them to me. I’ll handle it from there”
a. List the factors that typically encourage professional employees, such as nurses, to seek representation by a labor union.
b. Denise Capp, director of nursing services, exhibits a “Fire-Aim-Ready” style of dealing with the situation. What mistakes did she make in this situation?
c. If you were Marilyn Becker, what actions would you take? Why?
d. If your first plan of action is not successful, what will you do then?