National Nurses United

NewsBriefs:October 2007 11/16/07 3:20 PM Page 10 NewsBriefs WRAP-UP REPORT Hazard, Ky. a delegation from CNA/NNOC and its Kentucky affiliate, the Nurses Professional Organization, traveled to Kentucky picket lines in October to show support for nurses striking the Appalachian Regional Healthcare system, awarding a check for $10,000 to the strike fund. The strike, called by the Kentucky and West Virginia nurses associations, has been ongoing since contract expiration on Oct. 1, and centers around nurse demands for safe staffing and the elimination of mandatory overtime. Steeped in the history of Appalachian miners' labor struggles, the nurses have received tremendous support within their local community. "The miners built these hospitals before ARH bought them in the '60s, and many of the nurses' patients are retired miners," says Dewey Parker, an organizer with KNA. "This is a strong community." In addition to community support, striking nurses have received kudos from their ARH coworkers and fellow nurses from across the country. "What pleases the nurses more than anything is the support and backing of their colleagues," Parker said. "The fact that so many different labor groups from all over the country have come together in support of this strike, it just means so much to them." San Gabriel Valley, Calif. a significant majority of 275 RNs at Whittier Hospital Medical Center wish to remain represented by CNA/NNOC. Whittier, a former Tenet hospital, was sold to 10 REGISTERED NURSE the American Hospital Management Company three years ago. Shortly after, an antiunion nurse, assisted by a union-busting organization, filed bogus charges which unjustly nullified the RNs' victory, while AHMC stood by and let it happen. Since then, despite RNs' best efforts, patient care has declined and nurses have suffered economic takeaways. AHMC purchased Whittier and recently acquired San Gabriel Valley Medical Center as part of a mission to carve out a six-hospital chain centered in Southern California's San Gabriel Valley. SGVMC, a former Catholic Healthcare West facility, has 350 RNs who, together with the nurses at Whittier, constitute 40 percent of the total RN workforce in the AHMC chain. Both facilities' nurses, as well as SGVMC healthcare workers represented by CHEU, have united around the platform of honoring the SGVMC contract and recognizing CNA/NNOC's representation of the Whittier nurses. RNs are resolved to build their union without waiting for employer approval in order to immediately restore their voice for patient care. St. Louis, Mo. on oct. 6, the St. Louis metro chapter of CNA/NNOC hosted a meeting to discuss major nursing issues and to set up a hospital watchdog group. Nurses representing seven hospitals converged to discuss grievances relating to safe staffing, floating, and community access to healthcare. By far the most alarming complaint was that nurses are targeted and intimidated at their jobs for being patient advocates. Many times, attendees described, area nurses have to choose between keeping their jobs and standing up for their patients. The nurses, many of whom became interested in CNA/NNOC and healthcare reform after attending CNA/NNOC-sponsored showings of Michael Moore's film SiCKO, strategized solutions to the workplace abuses they described, one of which was introducing a safe staffing bill modeled on California's ratio law. The commit- W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G tee members plan on reaching out to other RNs in Missouri and the greater St. Louis area (which includes southern Illinois) to build interest in the watchdog group. Bangor, Maine the maine state Nurses Association, CNA/NNOC's Maine membership, was honored by the Maine People's Alliance at an awards ceremony on Oct. 27. The Rising Tide Dinner is held twice a year in Portland and Bangor and was created to honor local activists, organizations, and elected officials who have helped MPA be a force for progressive change in Maine. MSNA was recognized at the fifth annual Bangor Rising Tide Dinner for their work in advancing single-payer healthcare. "We see MSNA as a key ally—our strongest ally, in fact—in the fight for single-payer," a spokesperson for MPA said. Judy Brown, an RN at Eastern Maine Medical Center, was one of the nurses who accepted on behalf of MSNA. Brown is quick to list the myriad number of ways in which Maine residents can suffer healthcare injustice. "EMMC's own actuary told us that by his estimation, the majority of people will be unable to afford health insurance by the year 2015," said Brown. "That's just down the road." The inequalities endured by the state's under- and uninsured are a driving force behind the single-payer movement, said Brown. "We have every intention of going throughout Maine in the next year," Brown promised, "using tools such as SiCKO house parties to fight for single-payer." —staff report NOVEMBER 2007

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