National Nurses United

NewsBriefs:FINAL 3 (No Notice) 8/21/08 8:59 PM healthcare (and other areas of the economy). Single-payer is the obvious solution to the nation's healthcare crisis, as should be evident from the Commonwealth Fund scorecard issued July 17. It found the United States ranks last among industrialized countries in deaths that could have been prevented with timely and effective care, even though we spend twice as much as comparable nations. All of the others have some form of either a national healthcare system (like the U.S. VA) or single-payer (like Medicare). Many have private insurers, but the insurance companies only assist with handing out money, they don't underwrite policies or exercise decision-making authority over patients, one reason the Commonwealth report found U.S. administrative costs are up to 70 percent higher. Presumably, Obama, who in 2003 described himself "a proponent of single-payer, universal healthcare coverage... everybody in, nobody out," is aware of such data. In the debates this spring, he said, "If I were designing a system from scratch, I would set up a single- payer system, because we could gain enormous efficiencies from it." Moreover, Obama has dropped hints that he will sign any comprehensive healthcare plan passed by Congress, even if it is not his own, and encouraged community groups and activists to step up pressure generally on their elected leaders. Additionally, in early August, the Democratic Platform Committee, with Obama's acceptance, agreed to stronger platform language that while falling short of endorsing single-payer, includes a commitment to "guarantee" comprehensive healthcare for "every American man, woman, and child." CNA/NNOC played a leading role along with other single-payer advocates in lobbying for the language. CNA/NNOC has endorsed Obama, noting in its endorsement statement: "It will be our intent to persuade Sen. Obama, and, in January, President Obama, that he should support and sign legislation establishing an American single-payer system." Short of electing a president who openly advocates single-payer, the Obama stance offers an opportunity, if we are able to elect more single-payer advocates to Congress and build a strong-enough movement to persuade them, and a President Obama, to enact the only real reform that will bring our national healthcare nightmare to an end. —charles idelson 6 REGISTERED NURSE Page 6 Cook County RNs Fighting Multiple Fronts egistered nurses with Chicago's Cook County Bureau of Health Services are determinedly fighting multiple fronts as they prepare this fall to negotiate a new contract to improve conditions for nurses and patients. The negotiations come at a time of a continuing county budget crisis, with county administrators focused on cutting even more deeply than the massive 17 percent acrossthe-board cuts in 2007 that closed the Bureau's community health clinics. Most recently, the county has been trying to eliminate public health services for women with high-risk pregnancies and their infants. To complicate the situation further, the Service Employees International Union is attempting to poach CNA/NNOC members and threatening the bargaining process for registered nurses with their interference. "We're focused on becoming more united to present a solid front at the bargaining table so we can get a good contract," said Diane Ellis, a PICU RN who is chief steward at Stroger Hospital and a member of the bargaining team. "Management would love to have a union they can control, but we don't partner up with management at the expense of nurses and patients." Despite these obstacles, Bureau RNs have been assembling the infrastructure for bargaining since the first facility bargaining committee convened in April. Some 19 RNs were elected in June by the membership to represent them as a bargaining team, and they have been holding monthly meetings to learn about the negotiating process and R W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G On Aug. 9, Cook County nurses, for the second year, participated in the nation's largest AfricanAmerican parade, the Bud Billiken back-to-school parade on Chicago's Southside. An estimated 400,000 participants lined the streets as county nurses rode CNA/NNOC floats. Afterward, nurses staffed an information tent and gave out hundreds of CNA/NNOC bags filled with school supplies gathered by Cook County nurses. develop bargaining proposals. While membership surveys revealed RN morale to be at an all-time low due to the ongoing short staffing, corruption, mismanagement, and budget cuts, the bargaining team understands that it can only be lifted through a strong contract that values nurses and patient safety. Members, not surprisingly, are interested in improving RN staffing to protect patient safety, and in keeping their economic package competitive to recruit and retain experienced nurses. —staff report J U LY | A U G U S T 2 0 0 8

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