NewsBriefs_Mar RAD's changes Korea back 4/2/10 6:11 PM Page 6
NEWS BRIEFS
RNs on the Move
MICHIGAN PHOTOS: NICK KAREBIAN; MINNESOTA PHOTOS: CHRIS REINKE (CENTER),
BEN GARVIN (BOTTOM LEFT AND RIGHT)
Mass rallies and actions across the country in February
and March showed the power of the new national nurses
movement.
Over 900 Minnesota nurses turned out for a rally March 27
in support of their contract negotiations with Twin Cities
hospitals (below). The nurses recalled historic strikes in 1984
and 2001 and said they are ready to walk out again if necessary to maintain a fair contract and protect patient safety.
In Michigan (above), over 1000 RNs and nursing students
converged on the state capitol March 24 to advocate for
legislation that would ban mandatory overtime and set minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios at hospitals in the state.
"We are in the fight of our life for our profession," said
Michigan Nurses Association President Jeff Breslin, RN.
Nurses also took to the streets in Pennsylvania (see p. 16),
Florida (p. 12) and Texas (p. 11) to defend their patients and
their practice.
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N AT I O N A L N U R S E
