About Us

All you need to do to join is fill out a membership form!

If you have any questions, reach out to us at kunanurses@gmail.com or call the AFT-Kansas office at 785-235-0262.

Any KUNA officer or Clinical Representative can answer your questions. The easiest way to reach them is to send an email to kunanurses@gmail.com. 

If you are being called into a disciplinary or investigative meeting with your supervisor and would like representation as per your Weingarten rights, email kunanurses@gmail.com or call the AFT-Kansas office at 785-235-0262.

The "contract," as it is sometimes called, between KUNA and the Hospital, is officially known as the Memorandum of Agreement.  This agreement is negotiated every three years, and it sets standards and minimums for all nurses in the bargaining unit.  Any other contracts or policies the Hospital establishes must be in accordance with the KUNA Memorandum.  Look for the KUNA MOA under "Resources" on the home page. 

KUNA's contract with the Hospital (also called the Memorandum of Agreement) covers Entry RNs, CNIs, CNIIs, LPNs, and Senior LPNs.  These employees make up what is called KUNA's "bargaining unit." 

However, any nurse at the Hospital can be a KUNA member and receive the membership benefits, insurance, and KUNA representation in workplace disputes or disciplinary actions.  The Hospital sometimes tells people they are "not in a covered position," this does NOT mean they can not be KUNA members.

Though all nurses at KU receive the benefits of KUNA's contract regardless of membership status, becoming a member provides a much greater level of support and input.  Only KUNA members can elect officers, vote to ratify an agreement or contract, participate in meetings with management, sit on committees or the negotiating team, or otherwise direct KUNA's goals and priorities. 

KUNA membership also comes with a number of benefits, including free life insurance, $2 million in malpractice coverage, workplace violence insurance, a free subscription to KUNA's newsletter as well as AFT's HealthWire magazine, and discounted rates on things like health insurance, pet insurance, hotels, rental cars, flowers, books, health club memberships, and more!  (Click here to read more about member benefits.)

Finally, KUNA's influence with the Hospital and its ability to improve your workplace are dependent on membership strength.  The Hospital takes us more seriously the more united--and protected--we are.  KUNA renegotiates its contract with the Hospital every three years, and the stronger we become, the more we can achieve--not just for ourselves and our families, but for our patients, and the Kansas City community.

KUNA does a number of things to represent the interests of the nurses at KU Hospital.  KUNA is the body that negotiates a hospital-wide contract for nurses, establishing things like raises and differentials, PTO and holidays, benefits such as retirement and health insurance, and even general working conditions such as attire, call-in times, seniority rules and privileges, etc.  KUNA re-negotiates its agreement with the Hospital every three years, fighting for better benefits and working conditions each time.

A team of KUNA leaders also meets with the Hospital on a regular basis to discuss and shape hospital policy and decisions.  KUNA acts as a watchdog to protect nurses' rights, and provides a voice for nurses in hospital decisions about patient care, employment, and more.

And of course, KUNA represents individual employees in their work issues or disputes.  KUNA's contract establishes a grievance procedure for appealing decisions like placement, discipline, inaccurate employee evaluations, unfair treatment or favoritism, and contract violations of any kind.  KUNA has several member-representatives trained to assist and represent members in grievances, and also receives support from AFT-KS staff  in representing members in their workplace disputes.

 "At the banquet table of life, there are no reserved seats. You get what you can take

and keep what you can hold.... And you can't take anything without organization."

                                                                                     --A. Philip Randolph