ARIZONA
M
arking National Nurses
Organizing Committee's first
organizing victories in Ari -
zona, registered nurses at two
hospitals in Tucson, St. Joseph's Hospital
and St. Mary's Hospital, voted in October
to go union.
Nurses at St. Joseph's voted 293-110, or
73 percent, to be represented by
NNOC/NNU while nurses at St. Mary's
voted 221-85, by 72 percent. NNOC will
represent some 550 registered nurses at St.
Joseph's Hospital and 450 RNs at St. Mary's
Hospital. Both hospitals are part of Tenet
Healthcare.
"On behalf of our members nationwide, I
welcome you and want you to know that we
are thrilled to have you on board," said
National Nurses United Executive Director,
Bonnie Castillo, RN. "We are proud of RNs
at St. Joseph's and St. Mary's hospitals for
taking this historic step to unite with your
RN colleagues to elevate standards for
patients and nurses."
RNs are very excited about what
improvements unionizing will bring to their
facilities. "As patient advocates, we and our
RN colleagues at St. Joseph's voted yes to
join NNOC/NNU so we can have a collec-
tive RN voice," said Kresta Weadock, an RN
at St. Mary's Hospital. "Patient safety is our
number-one priority."
Nurses also anticipate the greater influ-
ence they will wield by joining the ranks of
unionized Tenet nurses. "I look forward to
all that we can achieve by standing together
with the 6,000 RN-strong NNU Tenet divi-
sion at 14 hospitals throughout the country,"
said Lowella Choate, an RN at St. Joseph's
Hospital.
Next, RNs at both hospitals will elect a
team of their colleagues to represent them
in talks with hospital officials on a first
collective bargaining contract.
—Staff report
O C T O B E R | N O V E M B E R | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G N A T I O N A L N U R S E 5
RNs at two Tucson hospitals
celebrate organizing victories
Votes represent first wins in the state
