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12 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 5 NEWS BRIEFS CALIFORNIA A fter a long fight, San Joaquin County health system's registered nurses won a new three-year con- tract on March 11, winning protections to improve patient safety and nurse retention. The settlement and ratifica- tion came after nurses held a one-day unfair labor practice (ULP) strike in January and issued notice to the County for a three-day ULP strike, which was set to begin on March 9. Also, in November 2024, the nurses spoke out at a San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors meeting to demand a fair resolution to the ULP charge and the contract and held an informational picket for patient safety and equal treatment. The January strike was held to protest management's persistent undermining and circumvention of the bargaining process since the nurses' contract expired. The nurses filed a ULP charge against the county, charging that management made unilateral changes outside of the bargaining process, jeopardizing the recruitment and retention of nurses, directly impacting patient safety. San Joaquin County registered nurses began contract negotiations nearly a year ago and successfully fought against county propos- als that would have hurt health care benefits. "This has been a long, hard-fought victory for San Joaquin County nurses," said Kelly Mertz, RN in the trauma department. "With this contract, San Joaquin County can be a competitive health care employer—meaning it can recruit and retain experienced nurses and avoid staffing crises. Our collective union power, our solidarity, and our commit- ment to each other and to patient safety brought this monumental contract to reality. We have once again proven that when nurses stand up and fight for what is right, we win." Highlights of the contract include improvements to nurse, health care worker, and patient health and safety, such as com- mitments to maintain a stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE) and nurse access to the hospital's Workplace Violence Committee; improved non-discrimination language, including nurse inclusion on the hospital's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee; and wage increases that will keep San Joaquin County competitive with the region's health care employers and boost recruitment and retention of nurses. California Nurses Association represents more than 1,000 registered nurses across San Joaquin County, including public health and county jail nurses, and RNs at San Joaquin General Hospital in French Camp. —Michelle Morris LOUISIANA N urses at University Medical Center (UMC) in New Orleans, La., held a two-day strike on Feb. 5 and 6. This was the second strike at UMC as nurses continue to demand progress on a first union contract with their employer, LCMC Health. Nurses at UMC are represented by National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU). RNs say manage- ment's union-busting stall tactics have stonewalled contract negotiations. After the strike announcement, nurses said they were gravely disappointed manage- ment made the decision to lock them out for three days following the strike, meaning staff nurses would not be able to work their usual shifts at UMC during Super Bowl weekend. "We didn't take this decision lightly," said Shonda Franklin, RN in the float pool. "But so many of us are tired of seeing our fellow nurses leave UMC because management can't ensure basic things like uninterrupted lunch breaks on our 12-hour shifts. It's time for a change, and a strong contract is how we get that done." "We would rather be inside taking care of our patients than out on strike," said Kisha Montes, RN in the behavioral health unit at UMC. "But management's antics have left us feeling like we have no choice. We have to show them how committed we are to the fight for a fair contract. The last month has only demonstrated how urgent this is for us and our patients." UMC nurses overwhelmingly voted to join NNOC in December 2023 and have been in negotiations for a first contract since March 2024. Nurses urged management to work together to agree to a contract that addresses their concerns and makes UMC the kind of hospital the people of New Orleans deserve. NNOC represents nearly 600 nurses at UMC. —Lucy Diavolo San Joaquin County nurses win new contract RNs held one-day strike, avert second strike before contract victory New Orleans nurses strike for second time University Medical Center RNs hold two-day strike