Bad news for hospitals and unions is good news for nurse staffing agencies: Hospitals pay replacement nurses anywhere from $50 to $90 an hour when regular staff goes on strike, and they're willing to do so because it often costs less in the long run to pay replacement nurses during a strike than it does to negotiate a long-term, costly contract with regular employees. But a nationwide nurse shortage means that hospitals and staffing agencies are competing for the same nurses. Staffing agencies attract nurses with the higher-than-average wages and other bonuses. Not surprisingly, unions aren't a big fan of the staffing agencies because they undercut the union's bargaining power.
To learn more:
- check out this Wall Street Journal article [1] (sub. req.)
Related Articles:
Nurses strike at NJ hospital. Report [2]
John Muir workers strike. Report [3]
PLUS: In Providence, RI, mandatory overtime for nurses is causing major conflicts between the nurses' union and Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island. Report [4]
Links:
[1] http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115741935955453396.html?mod=health_home_stories
[2] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/nurses-strike-at-nj-hospital/2006-07-03
[3] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/also-noted-john-muir-workers-strike-medical-technicians-in-high-demand-and-/2006-08-29
[4] http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20060901_ot1.31e852e.html