A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Union for Medical Transcriptionists - NE-MT

Posted: Jul 11, 2011

I know this idea has been tossed around a lot but yet nothing has been done about it (to my knowledge - if someone knows different, please correct me). I am in agreement that we as transcriptionists need to band together so that we don't get treated unfairly and not paid what we are actually worth.

I know there are many of us that have chosen medical transcription as our career and are still holding on and sticking through the changes.

How do you go about creating a union for transcriptionists? If one was actually created, how would that affect us? Would the MTSOs stop hiring transcriptionists that were a part of a union?

Just looking for thoughts from everyone.

I think the time is long overdue. I don't know how - much more cuts in pay MTs - sm

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continue to get hit with, and still remain in their homes, able to feed their families, or even care for themselves. What all US companies are doing is just plain wrong, and unless we find a way to make our voices heard, and finally carry some clout, instead of being little ants that continually get stepped on, things will just go from bad to worse. If someone approached me about unionizing my current employer today, I'd be all for it, EVEN if initially it meant a possible lockout. It would mean looking further ahead than just that next paycheck, and instead seeing the big picture, and the possibility that NO MT paychecks, no matter now tiny, may be possible in the future if this doesn't stop. I know a talented engineer with a masters degree and years of experience who is couch-surfing among friends and relatives right now because he can't find a job. He can't find a job because they keep bringing in cheap temporary workers on H1B (sp?) visas who'll work for nothing, right here in America. I live in the Oakland hills and am watching the new Oakland Bay Bridge being built. They're celebrating because the new parts that support the cable are due to arrive soon, from CHINA. All these unemployed American steel workers, and the parts are made in China. The steel is Chinese steel, too, and it's well-known that it's inferior, more prone to cracks and failure. All I can say that lack of foresight is, heaven help anyone who gets stuck on that bridge when the next big earthquake strikes. All American companies seem to think about is lining their pockets, and not the sustainability of resources, jobs, or human talent. Once this country is brought to its knees by corporate greed, then it'll be ripe for picking by some opportunistic country. Maybe even a third world country that built up a nuclear arsenal on tax dollars our jobs went to fund. I'm a staunch believer in the laws of Nature, where only the fittest survive, and I think this nation is facing future extinction if it doesn't start looking out for the interests of its entire population, not just the richest .5%.

union for MTs - TJ

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Wish there was a group that could help us. We keep losing money and I know none of can afford it. IF you hear anything, please do let me know. Thank you.

There are MTs at a handful of hospitals that - s/msg

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belong to the Teamsters. Maybe it would be worth it to contact them and see if it's possible to add at-home MTSO employees to that group. It's a very powerful union.

Check out the NLRB - This is the group that will help. - meme

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Read this website thoroughly!!

The only problem with this is... - X

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It specifically excludes individuals who are employed as ICs. I can foresee all MTSOs only hiring ICs if this were to happen. We really need protection as ICs as well.

That is a good point - anon

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ICs should have just as much protection as employees. I wonder if a union of some kind could be able to protect both ICs and employees, regardless of their classification. A lot of MTSOs hire ICs. Yet, what I have found is that the MTSOs try to put requirements on ICs that according to the IRS are illegal.

The IRS has clear definitions of what an independent contractor is and what an employee is. If an employer classifies an individual as an IC, then the employer must abide by certain rules. If the employer tries to blur the lines between IC and employee status, the employer will face penalties. Quoted from the IRS website... "Does the company control or have the right to control what the worker does and how the worker does his or her job?" (One of the questions an employer must answer when determining the correct classification of IC or employee.)

In my opinion, us as MTs, either IC or employee status, should have someone or some organization that is willing to stand up for us to ensure we are all treated fairly.

Where is AAMT/AHDI in all of this? I thought they were supposed to be our organization. I know they accredit schools, but where is their stance in ensuring MTSOs treat MTs fairly?

IC status and unions - LK

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Only employees can be unionized. The whole idea of being an IC is that YOU call the shots, and if the employee doesn't want your services at your price, you take them elsewhere. The problem is that many MTs are working under IC classification when they are really employees. That's the root of the IC issue, but it needs to be kept out of the unionization discussion because IC's by definition can't belong to a union. MTs shouldn't be working as employees and letting the MTSO classify them as employees. If you let them keep doing it, they will keep doing it!

I would rather be an employee in a strong union than - an IC who keeps getting kicked around. nm

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..

Where's the benefit? - non-union MT

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You pay any increase in pay (you know that penny they MIGHT be able to negotiate) to the union, or more than that INCREASE which would turn it into a decrease in actuality. A union cannot FORCE a client to stay with an MTSO so if the MTSO decides to pass union cost issues on to the client, the client leaves and there is no work.

So you are already where a union would land you, making less money and with little to no work.

Stop looking for the White Knight. He ain't comin.

See that's the problem. You're only thinking PENNIES. - Thats what MTing has reduced us to. nm

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Coming together and being one voice isn't about... - ct

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demanding pay increases. You are right in saying that MTSOs would lose clients and we would in turn lose work. However, forming one group that supports the people in the industry is not just about pay increases.

Who is there for MTs to turn to when their employer doesn't pay on time or doesn't pay at all?

Also, who can MTs turn to when they have a legitiment grievance and have someone there who can help guide them in the right direction?

There are many areas where a union and/or organization/association can be the voice for the MTs.

At one time, I thought AHDI was on our side, but in the past few years I've learned that is not necessarily the case.

NLRB - jan2

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I have just gone to their site and sent an e-mail asking how we become unionized. Wonder if they will respond. Will let you know.

Contact IBEW. - Better than Teamsters.

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Realistically, it would not work at this time. That would probably drive everything overseas. You can plan, but wait until the unions start making headway overseas in organizing work forces overseas. There will be an equilibrium that is reached and that will be a much better environment in which to start such a movement.

Personally, I don't think you will get the needed support until we actually live in shanty houses and are pretty much corporate slaves.

We need a strong voice (which a union IS), to start - fighting for banning offshoring MT altogether! nm

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..

NLRG answered me. - jan2

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I'll summarize their answer to be regarding becoming unionized. Contact nearest NLRG regional office and discuss concerns with an information officer who can ask relevant questions that will allow the Agency to provide appropriate assistance. Go to home page www.nirb.gov, click on find your regional office link to find closest office.

There have been several of you here at MT Stars who write very elegantly and with much knowledge (just can't remember your "names." I wonder if any of you would want to take this ball over and run with it. Sounds like more than one e-mail would have to be written so that all the "regions" would be covered? Many of you here I'm sure could do a better job than I. Volunteers? Thanks.

What a union could do to attract the maximum - number of MTs would be to - s/m

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start the ball rolling towards banning all offshoring of medical records. (Or heck! ALL American jobs!) right now. MT members or no MT members.

I realize that Unions need to make a profit, just like anyone else does. They need members. The more members, the stronger the union. The more profits, the more clout they can carry in Washington.

MT is just a small part of what's wrong with America. Many of the same things that were wrong back in the days when unions first came about.

A union wanting every MT in America to join its ranks would have only to start speaking, and speaking LOUDLY, in Washington, to the media, to hospitals, and especially to MTs. There are just too many mushrooms in this field who are isolated at home and in the dark about how much they're being cheated and taken advantage of.

Another thing a potential union could do to grab the attention of MTs would be to start exposing AHDI for the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing that it is. And then working earnestly to get that group shut down. AHDI works AGAINST MTs, and by going head-to-head against them, unions would be able to convince more MTs that they are FOR MTs and against offshoring.

Last night, one of the news stations did a story where they had a few families in a neighborhood go through their entire houses, and remove everything that wasn't made in America. Soon, each home had a huge pile of furniture, clothing, appliances, you-name-it, piled up on their front lawns. It really opened everyone's eyes. Nowadays, even if you WANT to buy American, just try and find anything that is even made here anymore!

American medical care and records needs to be kept in America, as well. It would be a good followup to their story on homes filled with Chinese-made belongings, if the story then shifted to our personal information, and our medical records.

I think it's time for MTs to stand up for themselves, and for their country, and to FIGHT. It's not impossible. If America were alone on this planet, and there were no other countries to compete, fight, trade, or align with, we'd be on our own. We'd have to manufacture, grow, build, and do everything for OURSELVES. I think the time to do that is NOW, because in a certain sense, we ARE alone. These days there is hardly another country in the world that wouldn't just LOVE to see this country disintigrate, and the way things are going now, that spectre isn't very far-fetched. If we want to survive as a country, and as individual workers who want a decent life for ourselves and our families, then things have got to start changing.

No, we can't change the entire world. But each of us can start taking steps to try to chage our own little corner of it.

- MEERKAT

Contacting NLRB - NE-MT

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Thank you jan2 for contacting them!

I checked to see how many regional offices there are and there are 52. Because of my geographical location, I personally fall into the Denver region.

One important point I did notice while reading what the NLRB does is that they investigate unfair labor practices.

Here's one issue that we may run into about getting other MTs on board with this... not every single MT in this profession are on this forum. And, how do we reach in-house MTs?

Also, when we do start contacting the regional offices... I think we should collaborate together so that we are all making the same important points.

I think most MT posts here DO make the same points, - just in different ways. That is what - sm

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makes the whole thing so far-reaching. The plight of the modern MT is obviously NOT just a form-letter or a copied and re-copied petition. Each story is unique, and yet when you look at all of them in the big picture, they are the same.

Here's the thing about unions - union guy

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Unions don't solve problems, the people in them solve the problems. Something that can be done without a big organization if people really wanted. IE there's nothing stopping ALL MT's from going on strike, or all from a specific company. With a union, there's nothing guaranteeing your jobs either. You can still be fired/discharged/etc. for any reason at any time. You can still get stiffed on pay, be given (what's considered by you) unreasonable hours/work to do.

From the sounds of the thread, the idea would be to force all MT's in to a union, like many public workers are forced in to unions (teachers are a popular punching bag here). Not much different in that compared to not having a union, just someone else telling you what you can do except that you'd force all non-unionized MT's out of a job. Similar to an organized mob (most unions are mob-like: they bully, intimidate, make promises, etc. A non-mob like union doesn't take care of the employee, they just help them).

I'd say the best solution is to get better at the job & prove it (as a whole). My wife complains about foreign transcriptionists & how bad they are at the job. I asked if the USA ones she's dealing with are any better & she said no, but those aren't American! I told her then you guys need to get better so nobody even CONSIDERS the cheaper foreign ones. The only reason to outsource anything is a better bang for buck. If a USA MT does just a good as job as someone from India but India is 1/5th the pay it's obvious who the client will want. If you can't beat the price find another reason to get a client.

ATSI is a great example of this right now: they lost their big hospital & are pretty much gone. Nothing stopped all the MT's from leaving ATSI years ago in mass exodus, starting their own company & going to ATSI's clients & saying they will do it better for less pay because they don't have a manager who sees MT's as cattle to pay.

I'd say instead of unionizing (it's not everything it's cracked up to be), group together and form your own companies of MT's in different parts of the country. Then you could tackle local MT issues & try to get local clients (there's no difference with a MT in NY working for a hospital in CA & a MT in India working for a hospital in CA. Either way, the $$ is leaving CA, just wouldn't outsourced as far). The hard part is not turning in to the same thing you hated in the first place. It almost always happens eventually (just look at Walmart!)...

Well said. And from my union experience, a strike is - the LAST action ever. nm

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nm

I think a "new world" type of union needs to - think beyond strikes. -sm

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People always think unions are only about strikes, but they're so much more. Most importantly, they're about fairness, equality, and basic human rights of workers. Something that far too many employers seem to lose sight of.

Strikes may still happen, but they need to be a last resort. If ADHI is pounding the pavement up in Washington, lobbying for more offshoring of MT work, and for mandating their fake "credential", then we need a voice in Washington as well, so they don't just hear one side of the story.

Very good points - ct

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Union guy, you pointed out some very good and important things to consider.

I, for one, am not for a required union membership, nor am I willing to be a part of the mob mentality.

After reading your post, I went over to the AHDI website. I have never been a member of AAMT/AHDI, largely because I couldn't afford the fees to join.

Essentially, what we are all talking about here has already been established with the AHDI... so why try to reinvent the wheel. Perhaps, instead of trying to figure out how to get our voices heard, maybe we should be trying to contact and work with the AHDI.

Another association is American Transcription Association. They say they were formed to help bridge the gap between MTs and MTSOs. They also have a petition for people to sign to help stop offshoring. I looked at their "join now" page and it costs $99 for membership (which is cheaper than AHDI).

Traditional unions arose in the physical work-on-site - era. The Internet offers entirely new options.

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With I could say exactly what they are, but just look at the wave of revolution sweeping across north Africa and the Middle East.

Unions on the old model we NEED to do without, including very expensive union dues and embedded union bureaucracy taking care of itself first. We can organize without that bad old stuff. We do need strong leadership, however.

I think it's possible for unions to morph into a - new form, just like our work did. (nm)

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X

Yes, but not on their own. Beware of people who would - lead us in return for money and power. NM

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x

I've wondered... - Horski

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As long as MTs keep working for IC's for little to no money, it won't change. If MTs refused to work for so little, they would have to change back. I just talked to a girl who said she is going to school for MT. I told her to come here and research because I do not know how long before she will turn a profit because it does not pay well and she will need to pay off her school loan, etc.

You're half-right; the other half is that offshoring - the work is no longer an option. nm

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X

I wasn't clear above: Offshoring the work has - to BECOME no longer an option. (sm)

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In other words, either it has to be made illegal, or else taxed up the whazoo so it becomes totally unprofitable.

re: I've wondered... - rt

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It honestly makes me sick when I hear people say they want to go to school for MT. The newcomers have no idea what they are getting in to until they are in too far.

Now, I'm not saying it's all bad. Don't get me wrong. But so many of the new MTs are being so mislead into believing this profession is cake.

I've done the same thing about explaining realisticaly what this profession is... while it may sound peachy and everything on top, underneath it has a nasty layer that us veterans that are still hanging on are dealing with. I would not suggest this profession to anyone. It is nothing like it was 10 or so years ago.

Just my 2 cents. :)

And that's where the vicious cycle starts. - see message

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Companies use the excuse they outsource because there's a lack of quality transcriptionists in the US. That's true because nobody wants to go to school anymore to be an MT because of the conditions the companies have created. So if there's not enough good transcriptionists in the US, why not pay for bad ones in another country for less?

I'm very good at my job and I know it. I had much more schooling in the medical field than necessary in an MT program, so I was able to jump right in as a "newbie" over 10 years go without the usual learning curve. Of course back then I was making upwards of $40 an hour, so I dropped out of college to do MT full time, which was a huge mistake, but hindsight is 20/20. All that to say I know my stuff. Yes, I make typos every now and then, but who doesn't. What appalls me though is looking at the work from my fellow US transcriptionsts. Of course I'm not saying ALL of them, but the larger percentage are just BAD and it overshadows the ones that are good, AND the ones that are good are in large part leaving the industry right now. Unfortunately I'm not in a position to do that, so I'm working on my VR editing, watching it learn from all my co-workers who are typing Marilyn dissector, end arterectomy, Lexus scan... you get the idea... and having to change this stuff so much that I can only do maybe 40% more editing than I could straight typing. SO frustrating. If we had more quality people who really knew their stuff working on the VR system, it could be really effective and profitable.

If we want respect we have to earn it. PLEASE people get proper schooling and take the time to look up ANY word you aren't familiar with. I still do. Even after all these years if I get some surgical instrument I've never used before, even if it sounds obvious, I look it up to make sure I'm spelling it correctly and send to QA if I can't. Of course this slows us down and then we make less money, so a lot don't bother, and then the VR is awful. We have to have integrity and pride in our profession if we want any respect and to have anyone who matters take us seriously. It just makes me so sad to see the errors made by MTs right here in the US caused by not caring enough for their job to do it right. Of course the MTSOs don't respect us when the largest percentage don't deserve the respect. I know I'm going to get backlash for saying that and people are going to get defensive, but it's true and we all know if it we can admit it. Don't type what you hear people, type what's correct.

Right there with ya, sistah! Preach it! - I do exactly what you do

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My employer respects me, as best they can in the current climate, which is what it is. I've been at this for 39 years, and just hope I can hang on long enough to retire without having to change careers. Ugh.

If we all typed what we heard, I would have just put chlorine in my CMP results. - EXACTLY! nm

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nm

Another thought to ponder... - see message

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There are many of us who have been around for a long time. I, myself personally, have been an employed transcriptionist for almost 11 years (although the other day, someone said that still makes us a "newbie" if we have been doing this for 10 years. lol) Now, there are a whole lot more who have weathered the storms for close to 30 years.

We as transcriptionists, union or not, need a way to have our voices heard. Even back when I started transcribing, our pay and benefits and the way we were treated was way different than it is now. Of course, now, there is the EMR and we are all doing speech rec. That has become the norm.

The other day I was researching a company and in their ads and everything they talked about were great. But I kept reading... and I found out that they pay their MTs on a 65-character line with NO spaces, and then continued on to say that was the industry standard. I don't ever remember THAT being the industry standard. (Maybe I'm wrong, BUT I have never not been paid for spaces). I do understand what Visible Black Letters (VBC) are, but I have never been paid that way.

What scares me the most is the people that continue to come into this profession, only to find out that maybe they have made a mistake. I think that "At-Home Professions" and every other name they call themselves should be banned from trying to sell their so called MT program. They can't train MTs the way they should be trained. This company has been having seminars where I live, in rural Nebraska, trying to sell the work at home in your PJs and do basically nothing, yet get paid $12-$18 an hour. That is nonsense, unrealistic, and misleading.

I've read TONS of posts on here and other forums of people who have gone through the "greatest" online university to learn our profession.... only to find out they can't get a job. It makes me sick reading about it.

I've had many people ask me what I do for a living and ask how they can do it too, mainly because I do it from home, and I have explained EXACTLY what I do... I answer to a supervisor, I work an assigned shift, I have daily requirements, etc.... and each person I have talked to have realized that it is not all it's cracked up to be (or what some scammers try to sell).

It just makes me feel horrible when I hear of new graduates that can't find work because they don't have the right training AND enough experience. And, you can actually figure out which ones went to the "greatest" online university, because they are the ones who can't find a job.

All that being said, there needs to be way for us as a unified group be able to have our voices heard. Perhaps the union route isn't the way to go... maybe we need to find a different route(especially so both employee and IC status can be represented, as we all do the same thing, yet have different IRS classifications). But, something has to be done... not only to protect ourselves, but also to protect the people just coming into the profession.

Sorry, I rambled here a bit. :)

I understand what you are saying... - anon

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The day I heard that my daily requirements were increasing from 1000 to 1500 lines a day during the same 8 hour shift, yet I was also taking a 2 cent decrease in pay, was the day I realized that something had to be done to protect us, especially since we are all a specially trained group of professionals who are very hard to replace on short notice...

Not getting paid for spaces/AHDI - VA MT

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Very interesting thread, just had a chance to catch up with it. I have a couple of comments.
I have 27 years of full time MT experience in clinics, in hospitals, and at home for 20 years now. I was a CMT since 1994 (let it lapse on the last round) via AAMT and was a loyal AAMT local chapter member for years.

On a local level, I loved and miss the chapter meetings. I made many friends and learned so much. On the national level, I have seen AAMT degenerate into cronyism and not being FOR and ABOUT us MTs. I believe they were partly responsible for the offshoring practices - I may get flamed for this, but this is what I believe. I stopped my membership with AAMT back when Medquist had a lawsuit against them by MTs... and the settlement for MTs who had worked for MQ during that time frame - it was administered by AAMT. You could get a year membership or some other such nonsense. Why would an association that is FOR us and ABOUT us even dream of associating with huge MT factory/corporation that had numerous lawsuits against them, not only by hospitals, but by MTs? That was the big red flag for me, and this was the final straw (their association with MQ) for me - I discontinued my membership and wrote a long letter about why (stating the above) to which I never received a response. They had all kinds of happy horse you know what reasons for why they were associating with MQ. Sorry, that was a total vent and digression, but I remain disgusted with AAMT/AHDI and will have nothing to do with them and will continue to speak out about my experience and view related to them.

This is getting long - Everyone, I urge you to use Google and learn about VBC - visible black character. Google visible black character (VBC), White Paper, and AHDI/AAMT. They led the march (look for the "White Paper") to encourage MTSOs to use this VBC. When the inevitable outcry rose from MTs, all of us saying, "fine, I will just not typeanymorespacesorusethetaborenterkeys" - AHDI gave the line that oh you silly paranoid MTs, calm down, take a deep breath, this is ONLY for the MTSOs, NOT for YOU. It just makes it easier for everyone to be on the same page, they said, for accounting for clients, they said. And of course every MT that had a brain and was paying attention to this VBC nonsense KNEW that eventually it would trickle down to us - that we eventually would NOT be getting paid for that space bar/enter key/tab key, etc. AHDI handed some MTSOs on a silver platter another way to cut our pay. Why would MTSOs want to have two separate accounting systems, one for the clients/hospitals, and a separate one for the MTs? Then they said, Oh you silly MTs, don't you worry, we will increase the pay/cpl to make up for the difference. Which of course did not happen.

AHDI has done nothing for us. Stay away!

Everyone, do take a look at American Transcription Association - they are against our jobs being offshored.

Count me in if anyone organizes a group to unionize.

Thanks for listening to my lengthy 2 Cents. Stepping off the soapbox to take a deep breath.

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Has anyone done research on clerical or MT unions? Any organizers or organizations you can suggest? An internet search didn't yield anything, but I sent an email to a "service" union (closest I could find), haven't heard back. All this industry has ever done is decrease pay under the guise of making compensation competitive, which is to say "If you'll work for X company for that little, we'll lower our pay too." This job and the pride that came with it is a ...

Apr 19, 2011

Rather than turning against each other as some of you are starting to do below, it would be really great if you had a union, one that worked to make sure you are treated fairly and rules aren't changed that make it harder for you to do your work and make a living. ...

Sep 11, 2012

Is anyone really interested? I have started doing some research, and starting a union is not as far-fetched as we think. We would need 30% of the employees to sign up for it. Check out Office and Professional Employees International Union. They might be able to help us. http://www.opeiu.org/ ...

Oct 20, 2012

What did you find out? Did you make any headway? P.S. Please no negative posts. ...

Nov 20, 2012

We need to form a union and be done with all this complaining and stop taking their! ...

Sep 03, 2014

I am just wondering if anyone out there belongs to a union like SEIU? I know they mainly represent nurses and home health aides, etc., but I wonder if you joined it would that be of any benefit, would they be able to help with our working conditions, would you be able to elect their benefits rather than the MTSO ones? I am not interested in AHDI because basically it seems to provide absolutely NO job security or protection, no benefits to joining, and in fact your reward for obtaining their cer ...

Oct 23, 2014

OK transcriptionists.......We are all in the same boat that seems to be sinking. I am throwing everyone a life preserver. I know I can offer the doctors out there an easy way to dictate that is "clear, understandable, personable" (with transcriptionists assigned to their own personalized physicians). This is the way I have done this for 20 years. It worked great. I have a connection that will integrate transcription into the EMR that they are using. When I spo ...

Dec 17, 2014

I have always thought that if we had a union, companies could not get away with this behavior. So why don't we have a union to represent us, any thoughts? ...

Oct 14, 2009

I guess I could just rest on my laurels (whatever those are) and let it be but must complain, yes complain, about the totao lack of concern for those of us who have had our pay cut 1/2 to 2/3 of what it used to be. We absolutely need someone to represent us. ...

Aug 23, 2010

If you do, what are your thoughts on CMT? In reading the thread going on right now, I see MTs saying it's worthless, it's a rip-off, etc. But what do you think a union would really do? Any PROFESSIONAL organization SHOULD have standards and should have a MINIMUM certification. Like it or not, AHDI is OUR organization and the CMT is what is being pushed as the MINIMUM standard. Credentials do NOT guarantee higher pay. They say you have met the minimum standards ...

Jan 31, 2011

Before responding, please read this post carefully. Yes, I’m talking union here, but NOT an MT union which would be pointless. Unfortunately we’ve missed that opportunity. Also, this post is intended for experienced professional MTs and include my thoughts on several topics that started down below. And hold onto your hats; this is a long one. I’ve chimed in on this subject before, but I wanted to make an official post to put it out there and get valuable feedback fro ...

Feb 03, 2011

"I am looking for a transcription company that does SOAP notes preferably. I have 15 years of transcription experience and would like to do something part-time and weekends." I read this today. I considered it could be a bait post since not far under it is one equal eyebrow-raising. But here's an MT who can say, "I have 15 years experience" and I would venture to guess, couldn't hold a candle to many of the newer and older acute-care MTs. Years of experience really becomes mea ...

Apr 25, 2011

The only person REALLY interested is apparently the person who recently posted. ****** This followup is posted mostly to point out the REALITY and that's that MTs will NEVER unionize :) It's just a topic that comes up, everybody creates fervor for their POV and then it all goes away (thank goodness)! ...

Oct 05, 2012

What about India? I have always been under the impression that we are a minority in this company, we being US MTs. Won't Nuance just send all the work to India and be done with us? I wonder if joining/forming a union would protect us from that... Just wanted to get discussion going about this. Of course, they are sending the work overseas because it is cost-effective, and maybe I'm wrong, but I think we are in the very small minority and most of the work is done ...

Oct 05, 2012

I've seen lots of posts on these boards recently about strikes. Please do some research before you risk your jobs. Only a union can call a strike. Most of the men in my family belonged to unions over the years, so I've read up a lot. If you don't believe me, start with the link I've provided and do your own research. I have to wonder if most of those advocating striking even work for any of the MTSOs discussed. You have to be a union me ...