National Nurses United

NewsBriefs 1/9/07 1:26 PM Page 6 NewsBriefs Cook County RNs Build WRAP-UP REPORT Self-Sufficiency, Prepare to Fight Cutbacks ince bargaining their first contract with CNA/NNOC, registered nurses with Chicago's Cook County Bureau of Health Services have worked hard to build the internal leadership structures needed to advocate for fellow RNs and patient safety, scoring a number of victories in the process. They will undoubtedly draw on this structure as they prepare to resist county plans to slash 17 percent across the board off the Bureau's 2007 budget, a move that RNs say would be disastrous for the nation's second-largest public health provider's mission of serving the uninsured, the indigent, and the underinsured. The RNs' Steward Council has recently helped several RNs resolve work issues. One nurse received more than $12,000 in back pay. The council completed negotiated settlements to bring back two terminated RNs, and S they will both return to work with back pay. The Professional Practice Committee has held four meetings and units are feeling the results. At the Bureau's Oak Forest Hospital, nurses were being directed to care for 13 ventilator patients on a separate floor with only one licensed practical nurse present. The PPC nurse representative successfully convinced the house manager for the evening shift that this practice was unsafe, and the hospital moved the patients to another unit where an RN is available at all times. With their growing experience at resolving conflicts and their strong contract, these nurse leaders are well positioned to lead RNs in the fight to maintain patient care services and frontline workers during upcoming budget talks. CNA/NNOC is also building a coalition of unions to resist these cutbacks.—staff report ILLINOIS National Mag Lauds CNA/NNOC Leader na/nnoc's own executive director, Rose Ann DeMoro, appeared in the pages of the December issue of Esquire magazine as its pick for one of America's "Best and Brightest 2006." The magazine praised her leadership of CNA/NNOC in its C fight to win universal healthcare with a single, quality care standard for Americans, and particularly for the organization's 2005 fight against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to roll back RN-to-patient staffing ratios. DeMoro was one of only a few women, and the only labor movement leader, to be recognized on the list. —staff report RNs Most Ethical registered nurses have ranked, for the eighth consecutive year, as the most ethical and honest occupation by Americans, according to Gallup's annual poll. Though medical professionals all scored high on the list, RNs still beat out doctors, pharmacists, veterinarians, and dentists as having "very high" or "high" ethics. In contrast, HMO managers ranked near the very bottom. —staff report 6 REGISTERED NURSE W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G CATHOLIC HEALTHCARE WEST BAKERSFIELD About 700 RNs at three CHW hospitals in Bakersfield – Memorial, Mercy Truxtun, and Mercy Southwest – approved new contracts in November and December, with Memorial's settlement coming after particularly hard-fought negotiations and a strike authorization by RNs there. A pivotal issue for all the RNs was inclusion in the master contract covering all of CHW's other CNA-represented hospitals, a concession they eventually won. The master agreement language provides for patient care protections, such as statemandated ratios and safe lift policies, as well as a competitive salary step system based on experience. Bakersfield RNs also earned retiree healthcare benefits, among other contract improvements. GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL about 650 nurses at one of Los Angeles' largest facilities, Good Samaritan Hospital, approved in December a new contract that provides enforcement of California's RNto-patient ratio laws; safe lift policies to prevent injuries for RNs and patients; provisions against the use of new technology to displace RNs or undermine their professional practice; and floating "clusters" to ensure RNs do not practice too far outside their areas of expertise. They also won pay increases averaging 10 percent in the first year and better medical benefits. SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY some 550 nurses working at San Joaquin General Hospital and the county's jails and public health clinics have ratified a new contract that manages to include many patient safety provisions and better compensation at a time when public health programs are suffering deep cuts. The RNs won stronger enforcement of ratio laws, better safe lift and float policies, protections against new technology, and an average 21.5 percent pay increase over the three-year contract. One member of the nurse negotiating team reports that the county has more than 200 open RN positions in the fast-growing county, and that the contract will help attract and keep qualified RNs. —staff report DECEMBER 2006

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