The California Nurses Association is an affiliate of National Nurses United, a union that represents 225,000 nurses around the nation. NNU President Deborah Burger, RN, says she is thrilled to welcome the Lodi Memorial nurses to CNA.
“We are so proud to stand with Lodi Memorial nurses as they come together to use their collective power to improve their hospital to benefit their community,” Burger said. “We look forward to working with you to achieve better conditions for nurses and patients.
On Thursday evening, the California Nurses Association, the country's largest union of registered nurses, declared that Adventist Health Lodi Memorial's RNs had voted overwhelmingly to join the labor organization.
The hospital employs over 340 RNs, who will soon be able to engage in collective bargaining once their vote is certified by the National Labor Relations Board.
Yvonne Knaggs, a registered nurse at Lodi Memorial, expressed her excitement about the RNs' decision to join CNA, stating that it was a significant victory for the hospital and the community. She emphasized that nurses from all departments must be able to speak up for their patients, and that building RN power through a robust union was the answer they had been seeking.
Japhet De Oliveira, Adventist Health's communications chief, said that the company would release a statement about the situation on Friday.
Stephanie Moraes, an RN in the telemetry unit, revealed that many of her colleagues had left the hospital over the years due to inadequate pay, unsafe staffing, and other problems. She stated that joining CNA would enable them to negotiate a legally binding contract, resulting in better working conditions and the hospital's ability to retain experienced nurses. Patients would benefit as a result, as the hospital would be able to keep skilled nurses at the bedside.
The California Nurses Association is linked with National Nurses United, a union that represents 225,000 nurses across the country. Deborah Burger, RN, the president of NNU, expressed her delight at welcoming the Lodi Memorial nurses to CNA, and looked forward to working with them to enhance conditions for nurses and patients. For more on this visit The Sacramento Bee.