National Nurses United

News Briefs 6 N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 5 C A L I F O R N I A N U R S E seeking more reasonably-priced phar- maceuticals from Canada. What kind of society or government for the sake of making sure that some people have more than they ever could need would deny people essential things that they need? That's why we need to all work together and change this policy. Nurses by and large would like a sys- tem in which they operate that they can be proud of. They would like to know their efforts, their contributions, and their sacrifices are going toward the general well-being and health of the community. Sometimes it's hard for us to see that in the present system, where it's rationed and there's obstacles to ac- cess. We see patients that are sicker and sicker. Q: What do you think about the Nov. 8 election, and its significance for public health and RNs? A: First of all, the special election the governor called was totally unneces- sary and provided the governor with an opportunity to raise unlimited amounts of funds outside the normal constraints of campaign financing that he would have had to adhere to if he had waited until the general election. Second, the purpose of this election is pretty clear. The ballot has a measure to limit the capacity of working people and their unions to participate in the political life of their state. Q: You're talking about Prop. 75? A: Yes, it's not to protect anybody's paycheck, except to protect the cor- porations and their unfettered access and control of the governor's mansion. Working people in California need a voice, and their right to participate on the level that can counter some of the policies that are driven by the corpo- rations is absolutely essential. And Prop. 75 strikes a death blow to the in- terests of working people. People have to realize that you may not belong to a public union, but the efforts that pub- lic unions make on behalf of citizens, as well as their members, is essential to the well-being of people in this state and across the country. We all know the trends that emerge in California fre- quently end up becoming national trends. This is something for everybody to be concerned about. Corporations already wield so much power at the fed- eral level and at the state level. It's ridiculous for them to assert that they need more power, that it's unchecked and unbalanced in favor of working people's interests. Q: Schwarzenegger always says he loves nurses and police and firefight- ers, he just doesn't like their unions. What do you say to that? A: I think that's typical garbage. The unions are reflective of the desires and will of their members, and he knows that. So when he attacks the union, he attacks the workers themselves, really, because without the union, the work- ers would be completely vulnerable to attacks by corporations and those who wield power in this country to the detri- ment sometimes of working people. Q: Nurses have consistently been shown to be held in very high regard by the public. How can you and your peers tap that power for the goals you've talked about? A: Nurses' voices are one of the rea- sons for nurses' popularity. We're sci- entifically based, we're grounded in the day-to-day realities of the healthcare environment. So people listen to us and respect our judgment. They know that we are advocates for them by law and by inclination. So I think nurses can play a leading role in educating the public. I've always believed that this democ- racy only functions if we participate in it. And nurses bring so much to society in general. It's increasingly important that their political involvement match their social concerns. In order to have a voice and a way of participating, the avenue of politics is there and should be utilized. It's made a difference for me. I'm taking my philosophical beliefs, the concerns that nurses have, and try- ing to weave that into policy consider- ations that end up expressing themselves as laws. There's a lot of ways to be involved. Here in Berkeley, we have neighborhood associations, we have boards and commissions that help advise the city council and aide the city government in gathering information and making decisions. And I'm very proud to be a member of the California Nurses Association and be part of a progressive union that not only seeks to improve the lives of its patients and health consumers, but represents a progressive force in se- curing decent conditions for nurses. So whatever level of involvement that you can find for yourself, at the local level, at the school district, boards and commissions, to contact people making efforts to get out the vote in No- vember to defeat these measures—all are important and valuable contribu- tions. —Lucia Hwang STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION FOR CALIFORNIA NURSE FILED OCT. 1, 2005

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