California, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania RNs Call for New National Nurses Alliance.

Business Editors and Health/Medical Writers

OAKLAND, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--June 7, 2000

The largest organizations of Registered Nurses in California, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania have issued a call for a new national alliance of RNs, it was announced this week. The action comes as the largest group of Pennsylvania RNs and allied professionals have established their own new independent organization, in alliance with the California Nurses Association.

The 31,000 member CNA's Board of Directors voted unanimously late last month to endorse a national formation to support independent nurses and other allied health care labor groups, described by various CNA leaders as a way to extend the campaign for nurse and patient advocacy from coast to coast.

The new Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, representing some 6,000 RNs and other employees at hospitals across Pennsylvania, was created in late May at a convention in Carlisle, Pa. Leaders of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, CNA, and the United Nurses and Allied Professionals of Rhode Island, all attended the Carlisle convention of PASNAP. The Maine Nurses Association also sent greetings and support.

Late last week, the Cabinet for the labor program of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, representing 18,500 members, voted in favor of forming alliances with nurses organizations that share same values of patient advocacy, staff nurse leadership for nurses, and opposition to unsafe health care restructuring.

"Nurses across the nation face a common crisis of the erosion of patient care standards at the hands of managed care and corporate medicine," said CNA President Kay McVay, RN. "Nurses and patients whether in San Francisco, Philadelphia, or Boston are confronted by the same giant, multi-billion dollar HMOs and hospital chains. We need a unified, independent voice, speaking in our own name and acting in our own interest, to protect our practice and our patients."

McVay cited a recent battle by Massachusetts RNs in a 42-day strike against the California-based Tenet Healthcare Corporation. The primary issue was mandatory overtime and other unsafe working conditions. California RNs offered support to the Massachusetts RNs who won a landmark victory. McVay called that campaign a model for a future alliance.