NEWS BRIEFS
Retiring soon?
Join the CNA/NNOC retiree division! CNA/NNOC
members in good standing who are now retired
are eligible to join. Dues are only $60 per year,
and you will be a part of an active, dynamic group
of retired RNs who work to continue our vision
of social justice and health care for all. More
information and how to join can be found
here: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/
CNA-NNOC-retiree-division
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 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 2 5
CALIFORNIA
U
niversity of California (UC)
registered nurses ratified a new
four-year contract on Nov. 22.
California Nurses Association/
National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) repre-
sents 25,000 RNs at 19 UC medical centers
and facilities in Northern and Southern Cal-
ifornia. The contract includes protections to
improve patient safety and nurse retention
and no takeaways.
"UC nurses were unified in our demands
for a contract that reversed and halted UC
management's growing practice of short-
staffing facilities, cutting back on
resources, and forcing RNs to do more with
less support," said Marlene Tucay, RN at
UC Irvine and member of the bargaining
team. "As a result of the commitment of all
CNA members, we won a contract that will
improve outcomes for nurses and our
patients."
Highlights of the contract include signifi-
cant restrictions on UC floating RNs
between facilities and a guarantee that
patient safety and nurses' professional judg-
ment guide all floating decisions; disaster
preparedness, including UC maintaining
and sharing written plans for disaster
response and providing trainings for all
nurses; technology protections, including a
guarantee that nurses will play a central role
in selecting, designing, and validating new
technology, including A.I. systems.
The new agreement's retention measures
include improvements to meal and rest
breaks and workplace violence prevention
policies, as well as an 18.5 percent minimum
increase in wages over the life of contract
and caps on health care increases.
"Our work continues to fight for the
highest levels of patient care. That includes
holding UC accountable to the standards
agreed to in our new contract," said Tucay.
"It is our union power that will help ensure
the UC stays a public good, rather than yet
another for-profit health care corporation."
The new contract covers the period Nov.
22, 2025 to Jan. 2, 2030.
—Michelle Morris
UC nurses ratify new four-year contract
