It matters

"Thank you so much for working so quickly to help me! I have been feeling so stressed about all of this."

One of my nurses had been disciplined for use of sick time.
I looked at her record.
2 days sick from February to September and 14 days since then.  What was up?
When she answered the phone she said she had just been trying to find my number to call me.  She was expecting her first child and was having a difficult pregnancy, including the need for a short stint of doctor ordered bed rest.
"I'm afraid I'm going to lose my job!'

I assured her she was not going to lose her job and we went over the steps we would take to reverse the discipline and protect her.  She was so relieved.

There was no abuse of sick time, there was only appropriate use of it.
The hospital has this complicated sick time policy what actually has two discipline tracks running simultaneously and includes "double occurrences" if you are sick in inclement weather.
It is so confusing it prompted my field rep to ask,
"So I can be disciplined on both tracks at the same time?"
"Yes."
"Can I be fired twice?"

Bottom line, policy doesn't trump contract and contract says "discipline for abuse of sick time."

So glad we unionized when we did!

Being able to help relieve this nurse's stress during a difficult pregnancy makes the hours in meetings, the travel, the negotiating, the late nights and early mornings planning and writing emails worth it.

I want to thank my officers, executive board, delegates, and our field staff for all the dedication and time you spend looking out for our nurses.

It matters.