National Nurses United

10 N A T I O N A L N U R S E 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 J A N U A R Y | F E B R U A R Y | M A R C H 2 0 2 1 WRAP-UP REPORT California RIDEOUT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL in december, registered nurses at Rideout Memorial Hospital, who are represented by the California Nurses Association, over- whelmingly ratified a new three-year contract which nurses say will provide important patients care improvements as well as gains in wages and benefits to help with recruitment and retention of nurses. "Even though bargaining was done virtu- ally due to the pandemic, we still remained just as steadfast and came out on the other side with a contract that benefits nurses and our patients," said Andrew Holley, an emer- gency department RN. "For the new contract, we were able to expand patient safety committee language." Meredith Salazar-Baker, a medical-surgi- cal/telemetry RN stated, "We were able to attain strong language on workplace vio- lence protections for nurses, along with health and safety provisions that will protect us through this current pandemic and in the years to come." In addition, nurses won increases in the employer sponsored 401(k) plan, wages, extra holiday, and other improvements in contract language. SETON MEDICAL CENTER despite a tumultuous few years when the fate of their hospital was uncertain, Seton Medical Center RNs persevered and in early January accomplished a tremen- dous achievement by ratifying a one-year contract that held the line against take- aways, maintained area standards, and improved efforts at retaining and recruiting nurses. The RNs at Seton had been in bar- gaining for years with a variety of owners under challenging circumstances. They have staged many public actions, reached out to elected officials and community supporters, and held a strike vote before the 2020 holi- day season. JOHN MUIR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH registered nurses at John Muir Behav- ioral Health Center in Concord, Calif., voted in February by 62 percent to join the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United. CNA also represents RNs at the nearby larger John Muir Health, Concord Medical Center. The Behavioral Health Center provides both inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services. Key issues for the Concord RNs in voting for CNA representation included a stronger voice in patient care delivery, including safe staffing, workplace violence preven- tion, improved infectious disease protocols, a concern highlighted by the pandemic, and strengthened health bene- fits, retirement security, and other economic standards. "This is a victory for our patients and their families first and foremost. With CNA, we will have a protected voice to advocate for the mental wellness of our patients and better serve our community," said Sara Starr-Cho, RN. Illinois registered nurses at Community First Medical Center held a vigil on Feb. 24 to demand stronger health and safety protec- tions for Covid-19 at the hospital in the wake of two nurse deaths and an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Admin- istration (OSHA). In the fall of 2020, OSHA initiated an extensive investigation into a number of safety complaints filed by the nurses' union, National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United after the death of two Community First nurses who died of Covid-19: Nancy Veto, RN (died May 26) and Dione Malana, RN (died July 12). In December 2020, OSHA announced that its investigation into Community First Medical Center found that hospital administration had not taken appropriate steps to fit-test the nursing staff with N95 respirator masks. As a result, OSHA fined the hospital $13,000. Since the conclusion of the OSHA inves- tigation, nurses say Community First Medical Center has done very little to review or strengthen its health and safety policies. The hospital also continues to use delay and stall tactics at the contract bargaining table instead of engaging in meaningful discus- sion with nurses about health and safety and other issues of deep concern to nursing staff. "Our neighbors depend on Community First Medical Center for their health care and we nurses are at the forefront of this critical service," said Kathy Haff, RN, Community First Medical Center nurse. "We deserve a workplace environment where our health and safety, as well as that of our patients, is a top priority. We know, with a strong union contract, we can ensure we have a voice and can express our concerns about inadequate Covid protections, unsafe staffing levels, and malfunctioning equipment, all without fear of retaliation or termination." —Staff report From left: Community First Medical Center nurses in Chicago, Ill. hold a vigil to demand a safe workplace in the wake of two colleague deaths and an OSHA fine; RNs at John Muir Behavioral Health Center in Concord, Calif. unionize in February. NEWS BRIEFS

• Cover