Retirees
1/9/07
3:31 PM
Page 9
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AS A GENERATION OF RNS
PREPARES TO RETIRE, THEY'RE
NEEDED NOW MORE THAN
EVER. HOW CNA/NNOC'S
NEW RETIREE DIVISION PLANS
TO KEEP THEM IN THE FIGHT.
BY BONNIE HO
O
n labor day
2004, Abbie Stewart officially retired
from her 24-year nursing career, most
recently as an advice nurse for Kaiser
Permanente in Santa Rosa, Calif. As she
walked out the door of her hospital for
the last time, she said it was "emotionally
freeing" to no longer be an employee.
But Stewart already had a new job
lined up. She planned to be self employed
as a volunteer for CNA/NNOC. Since her
"retirement," Stewart has worked on
three projects to organize registered
nurses, one of her favorite activities next
to candlelight vigils and walking the picket line. Recently, she left home and lived
out of a hotel for weeks at a time to talk to
Flagstaff, Ariz. nurses about their working conditions. She says she's busier now
than when she was reporting to work
every day.
RNs Martha Utz,
Sue Cunningham,
Rita Lambro, and
Patricia Schramm
DECEMBER 2006
W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G
REGISTERED NURSE
9
