Registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) with University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) will hold a rally on Tuesday, Sept. 30, to protest the administration’s refusal to address nurses’ ongoing concerns about safe staffing and working conditions that jeopardize patient care, announced the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU).

University of California RNs have been negotiating for a new contract since early August, with little to no movement on key patient safety issues.

“Our proposals prioritize safe staffing and give nurses a real voice in policy changes that have a direct impact on patient care,” said Katherin Muellerchen, RN and UC bargaining team member at UCLA. “We’re also focused on recruiting new nurses while retaining experienced RNs who are essential to high-quality care. These proposals reflect our commitment to both our patients and our community.”

Who: Registered nurses at UCLA Westwood
What: Rally for a strong contract
When: Tuesday, Sept. 30, 6:30-8:00 a.m.
Where: UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center, 757 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, Calif.

Nurses at University of California, Davis will also be holding a rally for a strong contract today.

The union nurses are demanding that management invest in nursing staff and agree to a contract that provides:

• Safe staffing that allows nurses to provide safe and quality care.
• Measures to improve the recruitment of new nurses while retaining experienced staff RNs.
• Maintenance of affordable health care for nurses and their families.

CNA represents nearly 25,000 registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and CRNAs at the University of California.

California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.