Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/1446759
15 RECENTLY ORGANIZED RNS SPEAK MODEL PATIENT CARE PROTECTIONS, ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT "Before Chinese Hospital RNs formed a union with CNA/NNOC, our wages and benefits had been stagnant, staffing was not based on acuity, and we were losing our experi- enced bilingual nurses. We are proud that we fought for a contract that includes economic gains and bene- fits that will help us recruit and retain experienced nurses, and a guarantee that we can address staffing concerns directly with management." — Geraldine Leung, RN Chinese Hospital, San Francisco, Calif. STRONGER VOICE TO HELP US ADVOCATE FOR PATIENTS "Forming a union with NNOC was an act of caring and advocacy for our patients. As union nurses, we can practice nursing at its best. Now that we have a contract, we have a guarantee that we can be true patient advocates. We have a voice and manage- ment must listen to our professional opinion of what should be done." — Dominique Hamilton, RN Carondelet St. Mary's Hospital, Tucson, Ariz. UNION STRENGTH AND POWER "The pride I feel to be sitting at the first-ever bargaining table for the nurses at Maine Medical Center is a tremendous privilege. Making manage- ment listen to the voices of the 2,000 nurses at MMC is one of the most empower- ing endeavors I have taken on. For the first time, we feel real power standing together as a group and dealing with them on a level playing field!" — Jonica Frank, RN Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine AN ALL-RN UNION WITH A TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS "We chose to organize with NNOC because they represent RNs only, which allows them to maintain a focus on RN practice and patient care issues. Nurses have unique, and often conflicting, moral and legal responsibilities to our patients, our employers, and our licensure. Who would better understand that than the working, bedside RNs who exclu- sively make up their elected board? That is what sets the NNOC apart." — Claire Siegel, RN Mission Hospital, Asheville, N.C. 93 PERCENT ELECTION VICTORY RATE 95 PERCENT FIRST CONTRACT RATE Organizing with NNOC/NNU »