Anti-union letter trafficked in falsehoods

A letter to the editor appeared in the Oct. 18 edition of the paper that, in my opinion, was filled with falsehoods and anti-union scare tactics concerning the labor negotiations underway between Bonner General Hospital and its nurses.

The egregious statement in the letter was, "Under a Teamsters contract, everything affecting nursing operations will have to be approved from truck drivers from Detroit." Nothing could be further from the truth because of the autonomy enjoyed by the local union.

The nurses' local is made up by nurses, for nurses and it is the nurses, talking about their professional concerns, who are sitting at the bargaining table. Autonomy ensures that "truck drivers from Detroit" do not determine nursing operations, and likewise, nurses do not determine trucking operations in Detroit!

The Teamsters were called in by the nurses for assistance to ensure that the negotiated contract conforms with national labor laws.

Another scare statement claimed a supposed loss of the nurses' individual flexibility. The nurses already feel that they have lost flexibility, which is why they are forming a union. By signing a collective bargaining agreement, they would gain the flexibility, empowerment, and professionalism they are seeking.

Since the nurses are concerned with support and retention, along with the delivery of high-quality care, this agreement would not only benefit them, but the community as well. This agreement should allay the dubious fears raised and help keep BGH located in Sandpoint.

PHILIP A. DEUTCHMAN

Sandpoint