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Medical Forum / General / Laboratory / November 2005Question about MT joining MLT union
Hi, Can an M.T. sit for the MLT exam, and then join their union and have the same protection although they were hired as an M.T. ? Thanks, Itchy Whoever posted this sounds like a troll. I doubt if this situation even exists anywhere. Why would there be separate MLT unions in a laboratory? When our place had a vote, the whole lab would have been covered had the vote gone through. This would have included MT's and MLT's. It did not pass, however, and lost resoundingly. Judy Dilworth, M.T. (ASCP) Microbiology > Can an M.T. sit for the MLT exam, and then join their union and have > the same protection although they were hired as an M.T. ? > Whoever posted this sounds like a troll. Let's see who else asked about unions in America? Yeah, I was thinking about the same thing....I think we should stop feeding the troll, period. He doesn't want to understand anything we're telling him. He's just pissed because a blood test ratted out his lousy eating habits. Judy Dilworth, M.T. (ASCP) Microbiology > Let's see who else asked about unions in America? > Whoever posted this sounds like a troll. I doubt if this situation even > exists anywhere. Why would there be separate MLT unions in a laboratory? [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >> Can an M.T. sit for the MLT exam, and then join their union and have >> the same protection although they were hired as an M.T. ? Actually I work in a place sort of like that. Our MLTs are covered by a union and our MTs are not. Years ago there was a move to unionize the MTs, but with a different union. I think the difference was the MLT union was for the "blue collar" workers and the MT union was for medical professionals, nurses, pharms etc. The union idea never caught on with the MTs. It's kind of confusing because in a government facility all the personnel rules come from Congress and the last time a federal union went on strike all the air traffic controllers were fired!  SignatureJohn Gentile, MS M(ASCP) Laboratory Information Manager Providence, VAMC That's interesting. We have so few MLT's at our lab that it wouldn't give them any clout at all. There used to be six MT schools in the area in the 70's, and most of those people are still working! The local MLT school closed two years ago, and it was only open for a few years. There's only two MT training schools left in our region and one of them is in our lab. We've hired quite a few of our students in the last couple of years. That's one of the reasons we still maintain a school. So far we haven't had to deal with major shortages, but I know it's coming in a few years. Thanks for bringing that up John. I guess we all learn something every day. Judy Dilworth, M.T. (ASCP) Microbiology > Actually I work in a place sort of like that. Our MLTs are covered by a > union and our MTs are not. > That's interesting. We have so few MLT's at our lab that it wouldn't > give them any clout at all. There used to be six MT schools in the area [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > a >> union and our MTs are not. Coming from a UK perspective what is the difference between an MT and an MLT Over here we have 3 kinds of staff MLA Medical Lab Assistant no formal qualifications and support staff BMS Biomedical Scientist, Minimum Graduate entry for 10 years, previously known as Med Lab Technichian 30 years ago CS Clinical Scientist Graduate entry and always have been, see themselves as "proper scientists" not that many of them outside Chemistry but very vocal oh and Medical staff but I guess they are similar on both sides of the pond. >> That's interesting. We have so few MLT's at our lab that it wouldn't >> give them any clout at all. There used to be six MT schools in the area [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > > oh and Medical staff but I guess they are similar on both sides of the pond. In the US an MLT is a Medical Laboratory Technician usually with high school diploma and on the job training or a 2 year Associate Degree. An MT is a Medical Technologist with a 4 year BS degree. Sometimes people have been calling the MTs Clinical Laboratory Scientists, but it is slow to catch on. SignatureJohn Gentile, MS M(ASCP) Laboratory Information Manager Providence, VAMC > Coming from a UK perspective what is the difference between an MT and an > MLT [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > BMS Biomedical Scientist, Minimum Graduate entry for 10 years, previously > known as Med Lab Technichian 30 years ago BMS, Biomedical Scientist? I like that! Sort of descriptive. Here in the US, if you say you are a medical technologist people look at you funny UNTIL you include the word "laboratory" in the conversation. Then they step back and cower from you. Don, MT (changing to BMS) > CS Clinical Scientist Graduate entry and always have been, see themselves > as "proper scientists" not that many of them outside Chemistry but very > vocal I guess my objection to the term "scientist" (as in "Clinical laboratory scientist" or CLS - not the UK term, which is a bit better) is that it implies that we do research (most of us do not) or that we're mad scientists like you see in old movies. We are technical people performing technical jobs; therefore I don't feel like my mental image of a scientist. [please don't throw things at me now - wait until you've calmed down some and then answer this post :-)]. Judy Dilworth, M.T. (ASCP) Microbiology BMS, Biomedical Scientist? I like that! Sort of descriptive. Here in the US, > if you say you are a medical technologist people look at you funny UNTIL you > include the word "laboratory" in the conversation. Then they step back and > cower from you. > > Don, MT (changing to BMS) > I guess my objection to the term "scientist" (as in "Clinical laboratory > scientist" or CLS - not the UK term, which is a bit better) is that it > implies that we do research (most of us do not) or that we're mad > scientists like you see in old movies. We are technical people > performing technical jobs; therefore I don't feel like my mental image > of a scientist. I agree although my license was changed from CLT to CLS by the state. MT or CLS is really not properly descriptive enough. I remember reading some of the names that the pathologist went through and the implied stigma they suffered. It was understood that the poor doctors were not allowed to take care of patients and so the descriptive term of doctor techician was used to describe the pathologist who was thrown into the lab. Even with a proper descriptive name though most people don't really know what we do as it is so inside info. If you tell them you test blood then it means to them it's HIV testing and that's about the extent they know. When I go into court as a prospective juror then I give a more complete description but with most people you still get a blank look. The lab technician general term that applies to many fields outside of medicine is better understood by the general public. Unfortunately MLT's exist also you have that confusion. The one that confuses even me is the Emergency Medical Technician. I prefer Microbiologist, Clinical Chemist, Clinical hematologist etc. and maybe for the generalist Clinical Laboratorian or something like that. > [please don't throw things at me now - wait until you've calmed down > some and then answer this post :-)]. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > > > Don, MT (changing to BMS) I like those terms better also. Judy Dilworth, M.T. (ASCP) Microbiology > I prefer Microbiologist, Clinical Chemist, Clinical hematologist etc. and > maybe for the generalist Clinical Laboratorian or something like that. > I prefer Microbiologist, Clinical Chemist, Clinical hematologist etc. and > maybe for the generalist Clinical Laboratorian or something like that. I think I like those terms too. But what about people like me, "Clinical Generalist?" D Thanks John, and it was not a troll. The MLTs have a union in our lab. The MTs have the ASCP. An MLT was disciplined, and contended it, and the union provided free lawyers and they settled out of court and won. The MTs do not have such a defense handy, as they are 'at-will' employees. It is a keen difference *if you have some corruption in the management and unluckily bump into it. So does anyone know the answer? Thanks itchy > Thanks John, and it was not a troll. The MLTs have a union in our lab. > The MTs [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > itchy Well, I've never run into this situation as no labs around my region are unionized. But a question I would have is whether your job classification would have to be changed to MLT for you to be able to join the union. You could have the credentials, but wouldn't be working as an MLT. That would mean a pay cut and changing your title, I would guess. Just a thought, and I really have no experience with this whatsoever. Shylirin |
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