ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, November 20, 1996 TAG: 9611200070
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY STAFF WRITER
The local chapter of the Virginia Nurses Association has been kicked out of meeting quarters at the Roanoke Red Cross building because Red Cross officials believe the nurses are involved with attempts to bring collective bargaining to Carilion Health System.
The officials said the Red Cross does not want to appear to be supporting union activities. But Tami Wyatt of Salem, president of VNA District 2, said her organization does not offer collective bargaining services and agreed to bar discussion of that topic at three scheduled forums on "Workplace Issues."
More than 200 fliers advertising the forums were distributed and the dates listed in the District 2 newsletter before the Red Cross canceled the group Friday, Wyatt said.
The first meeting was planned for Thursday at 6 a.m. The gathering is now scheduled at the YMCA Central Branch across the street from the Red Cross.
"It's apparent they misinterpreted the role of District 2 in current events," she said.
Carilion workers in the Roanoke Valley are in the process of talking to two unions as a result of staff cuts and other changes in the Carilion system.
Wyatt, who has worked for Carilion for eight years as a nurse and nursing instructor, became president of District 2 on Oct. 21 after the elected president resigned for personal reasons.
The district has 190 members from the Roanoke and New River valleys.
Wyatt said she assured Red Cross Chapter Manager Tom Brown that if collective bargaining came up during the forums, she would stop discussion on it.
"He seemed satisfied," she said.
However, on Friday, Brown notified her of a change of mind. Wyatt followed up with a letter of appeal to him on Monday, but Brown still said no to the group's use of the building.
"We don't allow outside groups to use the building," Brown said Tuesday. He went on to say, however, that the United Way has met in the building, as has a local amateur radio group.
Brown said recent publicity about the union activity made him uncomfortable about how the Red Cross would be perceived in the community.
"It may be that we're being too cautious," he said.
Randy Edwards, the new chief executive officer at the Red Cross, said the Red Cross has to "remain neutral."
"We just didn't know where the nurses stand," he said.
Edwards is a former senior vice president at Carilion.
Because of his Carilion background, he said, he tried to stay out of the meeting place decision. But he "didn't disagree" with Brown's withdrawal of the facilities.
Part of the confusion is that the Virginia Nurses Association and the Kentucky Nurses Association are both affiliated with the American Nurses Association, Wyatt said. The Virginia group doesn't offer collective bargaining services, but the Kentucky group does.
When some area nurses decided they wanted to talk to a union, they invited the Kentucky Nurses and the Service Employees International Union.
The invitation didn't come from District 2, Wyatt said. However, the union discussions have created a lot of energy and interest in nursing, and District 2 officials thought they could take advantage of the atmosphere to build their membership, she said.
"There are many avenues for addressing change. We've tried to focus on other avenues," she said.
She said her group is attempting to gauge the education and career needs of nurses in its area, and the forums that were planned at the Red Cross were part of doing that.
District 2 had its first "Workplace Issues" get-together last week at the Roanoke Public Library downtown. Forums now are planned from 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 26 at the Roanoke library, and from 3 to 5 p.m. Dec. 5 at the YMCA. Members then will evaluate the effectiveness of the forums and vote on whether to continue them, she said.
The group hopes it can develop ideas for career clinics that will lead to a major career education forum in May, Wyatt said.
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Wyatt. color.by CNB