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NewsBriefs_Sept 11/6/10 1:29 PM Page 10 WRAP-UP REPORT Florida florida nurses in September expanded into four new areas by starting metropolitan committees in Gainesville, Daytona Beach, Palm Beach County, and Jacksonville. These groups build on the original three established in Tampa/St. Pete, Orlando, and Ft. Lauderdale/Miami. "This is an exciting time for nurses in Florida," said RN Angel Stewart, who attended the meeting in Gainesville. "We hope to win ratios but we also hope to be part of forming an organization of nurses so that we can work together to support each other in our efforts to advocate for our patients." Nurses from each of these geographic areas were represented on a leadership council selected by their colleagues at an Oct. 23 statewide strategy group meeting held in Orlando. This group plans the ratios and rights campaign for NNOCFlorida/NNU and provides leadership and overall direction for the organization. Maine rns at The Aroostook Medical Center in Presque Isle approved in October a new twoyear contract that includes many new safety provisions, a key issue for nurses during recent negotiations. "Our ability to provide quality and safe care to our patients depends 10 N AT I O N A L N U R S E on hospitals maintaining minimum RN-topatient staffing," said Liane Koch, an RN in labor and delivery. "Safe staffing provisions are also critical to our ability to retain and recruit experienced registered nurses who can deliver that care." The emergency department won extra staffing, including a charge nurse who will not have patient assignments during peak periods. The hospital also agreed to better staffing by acuity for the critical care services unit. RNs were also able to hold the line on employer contributions to their healthcare benefit, and win safe patient handling language. Elsewhere in the state, at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, RNs in early November scheduled a strike authorization vote to put pressure on management, which so far had failed to agree to safe staffing language in their contract negotiations. Texas texas nurses at their September bargaining leadership council enjoyed visits from out-of-state nurses, giving them an opportunity to trade stories and share strategies for building the RN movement. Three Hospital Corporation of America nurses from Research Memorial Medical Center in 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 Kansas City attended to report on their major union victory on Sept. 14. The Texas nurses passed a motion pledging solidarity and support of their Kansas City colleagues working in three NNU-represented HCA hospitals there. A delegation of NNOC-Florida nurses also travelled to Texas to report on the RN movement they are building in that state. Texas nurses will soon return the favor by traveling to Tampa in November. RNs spent much of the meeting reporting and discussing contract negotiations with HCA, as well as progress toward building strong nurse organizations in all facilities. NNOC nurses from the metro committees met with HCA nurses to plan the Rights and Ratios campaign work for October through December. Each NNOC city now has a RN Rights and Ratios Committee and a work plan for the month of October. The afternoon session was devoted to discussion of the national political situation and how NNOC nurses can translate nurses' values into positive social change for nurses, patients, and the public. —Staff report Texas RNs rally for state minimum safe staffing ratios at a bargaining leadership conference in September. O C TO B E R 2 0 1 0