UNIONISM FOR NURSES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 14, 12 October 1943, Page 6

UNIONISM FOR NURSES

Idea Not Favoured

It has been said that nursing in New Zealand today is representative ot a larger number of women than any other profession. Therefore, the subject of the desirability or otherwise of a union fol nurses, as was discussed at the first conference of the Student Nurses Assoemtiou held recently, created much nitetot. Delegates said that suggestions that nurses should be controlled by a union came from outside aud not inside the profession. Some nurses thought a union might help to solve problems for vhetn, others were doubtful. , , The delegate who introduced the subject said there had been frequent mention of this matter iu Parliament and in the Press. In her opinion unions mi"ht be all right for office and factory workers because of the protection which resulted, but nurses might find with a union they would have to abide by laws which would be against their profession'll ideals. Others. pointed out that the care of the sick was a 24-hour service and could not be regulated by union rules, that the spirit, ot nursing would be los, if the profession was controlled by union, and that the disorganization of domestic staffs because of union influence demonstrated that a union would be of no U& Unions U were brought about to Pi’O the workers from the exploitation of the employer and were necessary in well U met with the essential principles of the “'Nursing wa" a commercial subject, nurses were not exploited and they took t n tht work of their own free will. Lnw a union, a nurse would come firsj nrtead of the patient and the care of the sick could not be regulated as was were’ and wanted to remain, a self-gov-Cr The meeting agreed that nurses were or-anizatioS, the Registered Nurses and Affiliated Student Nurses’ Association.