The gloves are off

We voted May 11 to form a union. We started negotiating in August and gave management a complete contract proposal. Management has had 8 months to come to grips with the fact that we are a union and get serious about negotiating with us. To date they have refused to discuss any economic issues, nothing about pay, sick time, vacations, holidays, benefits, insurance, nothing! They continue to want to talk about nothing but "nuts and bolts" issues, about how the union/management relationship will function. Now, this is important, but 8 months! Come on. We unionized because we want a voice and we want respect. Management continues to deny us that voice, that respect. They will not negotiate with mutual respect, they will not even agree to call us by our chosen name, the Backus Federation of Nurses, in the contract. Why? What are they up to? I cannot read their minds but one real possibility is that they wish to stall long enough so that we give up. Enough is enough! We gave them time to negotiate with respect and they have failed to do so. Now we must stand up for ourselves and demand respect. It will not be easy. I am a nurse, not an activist, but it is not only us and our families that suffer when we are disrespected, it is our patients, our community, and our hospital. We've been extremely patient, the gloves are now off........or, since we're nurses, maybe I should say the gloves are on!