National Nurses United

NewsBriefs:May 5/27/08 12:32 PM Page 7 Sisson. "His agenda does not address any of the nurses' issues. All he wants to do is grow his members. They're running a top-down organization where they're just like the boss." Schofield and others organized likeminded nurses within Local 1107, and eventually contacted CNA/NNOC for help in changing representation. Rowena Smith, an ICU RN, said she was at first quite skeptical and reluctant to meet with CNA/NNOC organizers when they first showed up, but "all it took was three meetings to convince me I was with the wrong union." St. Rose nurses are now strategizing for a likely runoff election, which Schofield believes will work to the advantage of CNA/NNOC RN supporters. "I think this longer time frame will give us a window of opportunity to get the truth out there," she said, adding that she hopes once St. Rose RNs move over to CNA/NNOC, that other unionized RNs in Las Vegas and elsewhere will follow suit. "I'm pretty excited," said Schofield. "Maybe now this is really the avenue for change and we'll start an epidemic of saving lives. I've been trying for 20 years." —staff report M AY 2 0 0 8 Court Upholds UC RNs' Right to Strike CALIFORNIA ollowing fresh on the heels of a significant contract victory, University of California RNs celebrated again this April when a Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) judge upheld their right to strike. The ruling represents a significant milestone not only for the 10,000 UC RNs represented by CNA/NNOC but for all public employees in the state of California, whose pensions, benefits, and labor rights have become increasingly vulnerable over the past several years. The case in question concerned a one-day strike called by RNs in July 2005 in response to UC's unwillingness to bargain in good faith over vital patient safety issues such as F W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G nurse-to-patient ratios. While the University obtained an injunction to block the walkout mere hours before the strike was scheduled to begin, and although negotiations over patient safety issues were eventually resolved, UC took the case to PERB. PERB Administrative Law Judge Donn Ginoza reinforced the RNs' right to strike over UC's refusal to bargain in good faith. Ginoza ruled that UC had violated state law by failing to negotiate with CNA/NNOC on the safe staffing proposal and by denying access to information on patient classification systems, which would have helped refine and improve staffing proposals. The ruling confirmed that under California's Higher Education Employer-Employee Relations Act, public employees are allowed to strike against unfair REGISTERED NURSE 7

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