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SEIU 121RN Political News

January 2010                                 January 2009

Political Newsletter January 2010               



Legislative Issues Concerning Nurses & Patient Care

     Ingela Dahlgren, Nurse Alliance of California executive director, Kathy Hughes, SEIU Local 121RN nurse labor specialist, and Local 121RN members Nanette Logan and Jeannie King have been attending Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) meetings regularly since Governor Schwarzenegger replaced most of the previous board members with his own appointees. We continue to put pressure on the BRN and the Legislature over issues and proposed laws involving patient care and safety, as well as nursing practice.
 
     Although we had concerns about this new Board because of the Governor’s obvious lack of support for California nurses, members of the BRN are beginning to voice many of the same concerns that nurses have been expressing for months.  

     We have had a major impact on several Legislative bills that would have caused big problems for nurses and others, including convincing lawmakers to defeat several critical bills in committee.

Click here for the complete update for May 10, 2010.


Hospital Security Bill Signed Into Law!

AB 1083 Lobby Day

     AB 1083, a bill SEIU 121RN members brought to California legislators in response to concerns about workplace violence, was signed by the Governor on October 11, 2009. Local 121RN sponsored the bill after surveying members about workplace violence and aggression this past March and April. Nearly 50 percent of respondents had witnessed violence or aggression at their hospital. And 55 percent of those responding said they have not received adequate safety training at their hospital.