We are preparing for negotiations upcoming this year. We have our team together and had an excellent bargaining training on Jan. 6 with Attorney Jake White.

Our Union Rep Toni Baker attended the Patient Care Committee and Clinical Ladder meetings at Garfield and we have had several grievance meetings. She continues to make rounds to introduce herself to the members. She is trying to get a PCC started at El Monte by telling the RNs that the PCC at Garfield works well and is a benefit to the members.

At the Nurse Alliance Conference in Washington, D.C., Baker received some good information on grants that could make the hospital function better by looking at the communication and teamwork between departments. She is currently working on this.

The team nursing program has been discontinued so ratios are finally being followed. Over the course of the last year, they have added responsibilities with fewer resources.

Abuse of RNs by doctors is being addressed seriously in the OR area by HR. One doctor resigned last year after our Union had no choice but to report her behavior to the state.