Dear 121RN Members:
As many of you know, earlier in the month we launched this petition to demand that West Hills Hospital (an HCA for-profit business) lift its suspension-without-pay of two dedicated 121RN Nurses.
Their "crime"?
Speaking out about lack of PPE and lack of preparedness and transparency in their hospital. They knew that, in this global health crisis, they owed it to themselves, their colleagues, their patients and their community to keep speaking out. Being bullied by a giant multi-billion dollar corporate hospital chain was not going to stop them from doing that.
We immediately grieved the suspensions and challenged HCA to bring them back to work. In addition, our Communications Department partnered with these RNs and went into overdrive. Check it out...
- Jhonna shares what happened
- She spoke out on Dr. Phil
- The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times covered the story
- Business Insider article
- Bloomberg article
- CBS 2/KCAL 9 news segment
As a result of their bravery, your support and Union action, both RNs were asked to return to work, they received all their lost wages and no discipline was issued—even though hospital management wanted to terminate them to make examples out of them. These two nurses made an example out of HCA West Hills Hospital’s management.
Emboldened by this and other victories, now even more 121RN members are speaking out at many hospitals!
For example, this morning, NEARLY 100 of you at Riverside Community Hospital held a Peaceful Protest for PPE and safe staffing levels. So if HCA meant to silence you, it didn't work!
Here's just one of our social media posts from this morning.
Remember: You have a Cal/OSHA protected right to speak out about workplace safety! You have Union rights to speak out under the National Labor Relations Act. You have Whistleblower protections in California Labor Code and Health and Safety laws. And, you have "Just Cause" language protections in your Union contract.
When you stand together in the strength of your numbers and say "NO MORE!"—YOU WIN!
There's more work to be done, but let's keep on fighting...fighting this disease and fighting for PPE, transparency and support—TOGETHER!
#GetMePPE
In Unity, Rosanna Mendez Executive Director, SEIU Local 121RN