Large group of nurses inside holding banner "California Nurses Association"

About CNA

Founded in 1903, the California Nurses Association is a premiere organization of registered nurses and one of the nation’s fastest growing labor and professional organizations in the U.S. with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California.

Collage of nurses

CNA 101

Your guide to joining the RN movement. Learn more about our program, our history, and how we are organized.

CHEU

CHEU

The Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union is an independent union formed in 2001 by hospital employees to win strong union representation, better benefits, and improved conditions for employees and patients. It is an affiliate of CNA.

Press releases

Registered nurses at Antelope Valley Medical Center in Lancaster, California, will hold an informational picket on Tuesday, November 25, to protest management’s creation of a staffing crisis and racially-motivated retaliation against Latine nurses for their patient advocacy. The nurses are represented by California Nurses Association/National Nurses United.
Registered nurses at University of Southern California (USC) Keck Medicine and USC Norris Cancer Hospital in Los Angeles, Calif., will hold an informational picket on Tuesday, Nov. 25, to highlight their patient safety concerns, including short-staffing, break relief, and safe working conditions.
Registered nurses have reached a tentative agreement with the University of California on a new contract, announced California Nurses Association/National Nurses United. CNA represents more than 25,000 RNs across 19 facilities operated by the University of California, who have been in bargaining for new contracts since June.
Registered nurses at Sutter Davis Hospital in Davis, Calif., voted to ratify their first-ever collective bargaining agreement last night. Nurses say the new agreement is a hard-fought victory for their patients and themselves.

Organize with the California Nurses Association to improve workplace standards through collective bargaining, reform national health care legislation, and make a difference for you and your patients.

Videos

2024 California Nurses Association lobby day

Hundreds of registered nurses rallied and marched in Sacramento, Calif. before meeting with legislators about nurses’ key issues and priority legislation.

Safe Staffing Ratios Protect Patient and Nurses

Safe RN ratios have been proven to improve the quality of care and nurse recruitment and retention in California hospitals, yet understaffing is a major issue RNs struggle with every day. Together, we can change that.

National Nurse Magazine

Of the people, by the people, for the people: Union nurses say no to kings and yes to care

Kaiser nurses protest statewide

Kaiser RNs at 22 facilities will be bargaining for a new contract next year

Anaheim nurses strike for safe staffing

RNs protest management’s refusal to address their repeated concerns about nurse turnover

Campaigns

Nurses inside hosptial hold signs "Safe Staffing Saves Lives"

California Safe Staffing Ratios

A.B. 394, the CNA-sponsored safe staffing law, has multiple provisions designed to remedy unsafe staffing in acute-care facilities. California’s safe staffing standards are based on individual patient acuity, of which the RN ratios is the minimum.

Nurse inside car displaying sign "CalCare"

CalCare

The California Nurses Association is proud to sponsor Assembly Bill 1400, the California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act (CalCare), which would guarantee comprehensive, high-quality health care to all California residents as a human right.

Sign "Nurses Heal California"

Supported California Legislation

CNA is committed to building a broad movement for transformative social change and confronting the powerful interests that dominate our economic and political system. Learn more about our supported and sponsored California legislation.