Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/198639
NewsBriefs 1/9/07 1:26 PM Page 4 NewsBriefs TENET RNS ORGANIZE END-OF-YEAR PUSH RNs and organizers celebrate election victory for unionization at USC University Hospital in Los Angeles. USC, Remaining Downtown L.A. Hospital, Unionizes egistered nurses with USC University Hospital, downtown Los Angeles' last major nonunionized hospital and Tenet Healthcare's California flagship facility, overwhelmingly voted Nov. 30 to join CNA/NNOC. Nurses said they needed the benefits and protections offered by unionization to recruit and retain good nurses to the hospital, which acts as one of Los Angeles' two major university-affiliated teaching hospitals. RNs there had reported high turnover among nursing staff and extensive use of temporary RNs. "We voted for CNA in order to improve conditions," said Jose Zarraga, a telemetry RN at USC. "A greater voice will allow us to attract R and keep top-quality nurses, giving our patients the care they deserve and medical students the education they need." Nearly 500 RNs are covered by the vote, Norris RNs Join majority of 150 registered nurses with Kenneth Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital, a prestigious cancer facility near downtown Los Angeles, voted in late December to affiliate with CNA/NNOC. Nurses at Norris, a Tenet Healthcare facility that's part of the USC Health Sciences Center, cited their wish to A CALIFORNIA 4 REGISTERED NURSE which caps a period of rapid unionization by nurses in the area. Just nine years ago, only one downtown hospital was unionized. —staff report W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G achieve the same benefits and patient care protections enjoyed by other CNA/NNOC RNs as their motivation to join. "It's about time!" said Relinda Beesemeyer, an interventional radiology and 26-year RN. "Finally we are now unionized with CNA. We voted for CNA because we want the same retirement security as all other CNA RNs throughout the state." – staff report DECEMBER 2006