Registered nurses say union protections will lead to improved patient care

Registered nurses at Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP), in Monterey, Calif., voted overwhelmingly this week to join California Nurses Association (CNA), an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), the nation’s largest and fastest-growing registered nurse (RN) union. In an overwhelming landslide vote, nearly 500 nurses elected to join CNA. The election was conducted by the National Labor Relations Board and the vote count was completed today, Jan. 30.

“This is a great day for the Monterey Peninsula community and the patients we care for,” said Kim Campbell, RN. “I spent more than 30 years at CHOMP in the emergency department, and I recall when this was genuinely a community hospital and patient-focused institution. I am so pleased that by forming our union, we will now have a voice to advocate for our patients, create an environment that will help recruit and retain excellent nurses, and make improvements for our patients.”

Nurses say they moved to form a union because of their concerns over chronic short staffing. Due to short staffing, nurses cannot give each patient the optimal amount of time to address their unique and specific care needs. In addition, because management does not staff the hospital adequately, nurses are denied coverage for their breaks during their 12-hour shifts, meaning they are forced to either work without eating or leave their patients under the care of a nurse who already has a full patient assignment.

Finally, nurses are deeply distressed that management chose to close down the cafeteria in the evening, leaving patients without access to hot food. Out of concern for their patients, nurses have purchased hot meals for patients using their own money.

Nurses contend that CHOMP has more than enough money to address the community’s needs. They note that from 2020 through 2024, CHOMP spent more than $31 million dollars on compensation for its top six executives, including $11 million going to Steven Packer, CHOMP’s former president and CEO. 

“I am thrilled we will be able to start bargaining on the things that matter most like patient care, safe staffing and workplace violence prevention policies,” said Kristine Olalia, RN in the orthopedic unit. 

Nurses will now move to elect their bargaining team and prepare to negotiate their first contract. In contract negotiations, nurses will address the same issues that motivated their unionization campaign. Nurses are calling on CHOMP to respect the results of the democratic election and proceed with bargaining in good faith.

CNA will now represent 800 nurses at CHOMP.

CNA already represents numerous hospitals on the Central Coast, including Salinas Valley Medical Health Center and Natividad Medical Center in Salinas, Watsonville Community Hospital in Watsonville, Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister, and Mee Memorial in King City. 

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