California Nurses Vote to Join UNAC/UHCP

February 21, 2008

SWEET VICTORY – RNs at Parkview Community Hospital Medical Center in Riverside, CA, voted to join United Nurses Associations of California/UHCP/NUHHCE (UNAC), an AFSCME affiliate.

Photo Credit: Eve Rojas

Some 250 RNs at Parkview Community Hospital Medical Center in Riverside have voted overwhelmingly to join United Nurses Associations of California/UHCP/NUHHCE (UNAC).

Employer intimidation could not stop the efforts of these dedicated RNs to build a union with the AFSCME affiliate, which represents more than 15,000 nurses and other health care professionals throughout California. UNAC/UHCP Pres. Kathy Sackman, RN (also an International vice president) says nurses …

… “are the first line of defense in health care. They know best what their patients need and are deeply committed to providing the highest quality of care. Now that they are able to speak up for themselves and their patients, Parkview nurses will be able to help the administration improve the care the hospital provides.”

The RNs will now sit down with management at the bargaining table to discuss fair working conditions. Don Griffin, an ER nurse at Parkview, says …

“Being in a union is going to help build Parkview into a better hospital. Now we have the support we need to make life better for ourselves and our patients.”

The road to victory, which began last summer, was marked by employer harassment that prompted UNAC to file a charge with the National Labor Relations Board on behalf of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit RN Deirdre Kirkwood. Read more about her in The Press-Enterprise, or listen to this audio file from Workers Independent News (5 min. 21 sec.):

Also, to learn about U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton’s support of the Parkview nurses, read this post on the AFL-CIO blog. The Parkview nurses’ victory was also covered by the San Diego Union-Tribune.