American Nurses Association Moves Forward With Plans for New Structure

Washington, DC --American Nurses Association (ANA) leaders approved agreements in December that would support the creation of separate Associate Organizational Members (AOMs) for ANA's collective bargaining arm, the United American Nurses (UAN), AFL-CIO, and for Workplace Advocacy (WPA) to represent the workplace interests of nurses who do not participate in collective bargaining. The two AOMs would be linked to the ANA through affiliation and service agreements that cover finances, support services and relationships. The UAN National Labor Assembly must approve the agreements and the ANA House of Delegates must approve changes to the bylaws at its June 2003 meeting to officially create the AOMs.

The creation of AOMs represents the latest evolution in ANA's structure specifically related to workplace rights strategies. In 1999, the ANA passed bylaws creating the UAN and providing for the creation of a structure for workplace advocacy. The ANA House of Delegates formalized the workplace advocacy structure in 2000 by creating the Commission on Workplace Advocacy (CWPA).

The creation of AOMs represents the latest evolution in ANA's structure specifically related to workplace rights strategies. In 1999, the ANA passed bylaws creating the UAN and providing for the creation of a structure for workplace advocacy. The ANA House of Delegates formalized the workplace advocacy structure in 2000 by creating the Commission on Workplace Advocacy (CWPA).

In addition, creation of AOMs is part of ANA's larger initiative to implement structural, organizational and cultural changes with the overarching goal of connecting to more nurses. Currently, only a small percentage of the nation's 2.7 million RNs are members of any of the more than 100 national professional nursing organizations.

"These agreements represent a key step in ANA's journey to transform itself so that it is more focused and flexible, thereby increasing its relevance to new generations of nurses," said ANA President Barbara Blakeney, MS, APRN,BC, ANP. "ANA looks forward to its new relationships with UAN and WPA, and I offer my heartfelt gratitude to all those who worked so diligently to bring these agreements to fruition."

Sweeping bylaws changes were an outgrowth of extensive work by ANA's Future's Task Force, which was convened by the ANA Board of Directors in 2000 in response to a mandate by ANA's 54 constituent member associations (CMAs). Although proposals for bylaws revisions were presented to the House of Delegates in June 2002, no action was taken due to the lack of conclusive agreement at that time regarding ANA's future relationship with UAN and WPA. The HOD charged the board with completing the negotiations process and with bringing one set of proposed bylaws to the 2003 HOD for consideration.

The agreements between ANA and UAN and ANA and WPA designate that each shall be the exclusive AOM for collective bargaining and workplace advocacy respectively. The initial agreements are for five-year terms (beginning July 1, 2003, assuming bylaws are passed at the June HOD), and both AOMs shall co-locate with ANA. In addition, the agreements provide for a variety of in-kind services provided by ANA to the AOMs for various time periods. Financial agreements center around a formula for ANA's CMAs to transmit a portion of their current member dues directly to one or both AOMs and with a portion going directly to ANA to cover its cornerstone work, which provides the foundation for many AOM services. The formula for allocating dues between ANA and the AOMs changes over the term of the agreement. In addition, AOMs will pay ANA an administrative fee to cover the cost of overhead services.

Individual nurses hold membership in one of ANA's 54 CMAs. CMAs charge nurses a range of membership fees, a portion of which is forwarded to ANA to cover the costs of national level services.

"The UAN believes this agreement will allow it to become a stronger union, and therefore, better able to meet the exploding demand for collective bargaining from nurses nationwide," said UAN Chair Cheryl Johnson, RN. "We believe this new relationship with ANA will benefit both organizations."

Commented Clair Jordan, MSN, RN, chair of the CWPA, "With this agreement, we are poised to provide a host of products and services to individual nurses to improve their work lives. It's the nurses of America and their patients who will ultimately reap the benefits of these agreements."

The agreements are part of bylaws forwarded by the ANA board to the Committee on Bylaws. The board's proposed bylaws also expand the role of ANA's Organizational Affiliates and provide the option of specialty nursing associations to affiliate with ANA as AOMs. In addition, the proposed bylaws include a framework by which it is possible for individual nurses to join ANA as associate members at the national level. The proposal creates the opportunity for individual nurses to join as full members at the national and state level under a voluntary pilot project for CMAs that want to participate. Overall, the board's bylaws proposal will create several ways in which more nurses can participate within ANA.

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ANA is the only full-service professional organization representing the nation's 2.7 million Registered Nurses through its 54 constituent associations. ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

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