National Nurses United

CALIFORNIA R egistered nurses at Adventist Health Lodi Memorial voted over- whelmingly in March to join California Nurses Association (CNA). "The registered nurses' vote to join CNA is a great win for our hospital and our com- munity," said Yvonne Knaggs, a registered nurse at Lodi Memorial. "We are patients' strongest advocates. Nurses from all depart- ments need to be able to speak up because protecting our patients must come first. Building RN power through a strong union is the answer we've been looking for." Nurses at the 194-bed facility said they voted to join the union because it is critical that nurses have a say in making decisions to help recruit and retain experienced nurses, which leads to improved patient care. "We've seen many of our colleagues leave over the years due to unsafe staffing, inade- quate pay, and a number of other issues," said Stephanie Moraes, a registered nurse in the telemetry unit. "Now as CNA members, we will have the ability to negotiate a legally binding contract and win better working conditions from management. That means patients will benefit because the hospital will be able to keep experienced nurses at the bedside." The union will represent more than 340 RNs at the hospital, which is owned by Adventist Health. NNU President Deborah Burger, RN, said she is thrilled to welcome the Lodi Memorial nurses to CNA. "We are so proud to stand with Lodi Memorial nurses as they come together to use their collective power to improve their hospital to benefit their community," said Burger. "We look forward to working with you to achieve better condi- tions for nurses and patients." "Our patients are our families and friends," said Rodney Gaines, a registered nurse who works in the emergency depart- ment. "Voting in the union gives us the tools to treat our community the way it deserves and how we want our families treated, pro- tect our licenses when we take unsafe assignments for months on end, and have a voice when we go out of ratio. This is about protection for patients, our profession, our community." —Rachel Berger A P R I L | M AY | J U N E 2 0 2 3 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 7 MICHIGAN N urses at mclaren Central Hos- pital in Mt. Pleasant voted in February to ratify a new three-year contract, as did nurses at MyMichi- gan Alma. Both new contracts took effect immediately upon the ratification votes. While nurses at both hospitals were negotiating separate contracts with different health systems, they shared concerns about health care's increasingly corporate climate and felt an urgent need to improve the situation through contract negotia- tions. Prior to reaching a deal, an overwhelming majority of RNs at both hospitals authorized their respective bar- gaining teams to be able to call for a strike should it be necessary. Deals were reached in both instances that avoided the need for a work stoppage. Each contract has different specific pro- visions, however, both contracts: • Protect and expand contractual staffing language; • Provide competitive wages to recruit and retain RNs; • Include limits to mandatory overtime. "Nurses are feeling really proud of this new contract," said Shenan Shinabarger, RN, president of the local Michigan Nurses Association bargaining unit at MyMichigan Alma. "As a union, we were able to make meaningful improvements that will benefit our patients and our com- munity. We genuinely hope that this will make a difference for Alma in the long run." "This new contract shows what is possi- ble for nurses to achieve if we remain steadfast and are willing to fight for what is right," said Jessica Harradine, RN, and pres- ident of the local Michigan Nurses Association bargaining unit at McLaren Central. "We will continue organizing together as a union to make sure that McLaren honors our ratified agreement and puts patients over profits." —Staff report MyMichigan and McLaren RNs ratify new contracts Lodi nurses vote to unionize RNs at Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital join CNA

• Cover