Dear SEIU Local 121RN members,
When I became a leader in our efforts to form our Union, one of the main things that motivated me was the goal of bringing a united voice of nurses calling for improved staffing levels at our hospitals.
And I know I'm not alone.
Time after time, nurses in our hospitals tell us in Bargaining Surveys that safe staffing is among their top priorities (often number one). Time after time, nurses tell us in our Legislative Priorities Surveys that we need stronger laws in Sacramento to stop the hospitals that repeatedly place profits over patients in their staffing decisions.
I'm proud of the work we've all done—important work for both patients and nurses.
As many of you know, LAST YEAR we successfully strengthened California’s Whistleblower Protection laws. Signed into law in September, Assembly Bill 1102 (which amends Section 1278.5 of the Health & Safety Code) increases the fines on our employers if they retaliate against us for reporting unlawful assignments that put patient safety and our RN licenses at risk.
THIS YEAR, we worked with State Senator Connie M. Leyva (D–Chino) to write SB 1288, which was introduced on the Senate floor on Friday. SB 1288 will put some real teeth into the regulations that set staffing levels in our hospitals.
What will the bill do?
SB 1288 will mandate unannounced inspections of hospitals with a special focus on adherence to California’s nurse-to-patient ratios as regulated by Title 22. This bill will also increase the penalties assessed against repeat offender hospitals that continue to flout these regulations. No longer will hospitals be able to simply submit a "plan" when they are cited for staffing violations. Repeat offender hospitals will be subject to ever-increasing fines.
As Senator Leyva said in a press release we sent out Friday, “SB 1288 is important legislation that will help to improve patient health and safety by ensuring that hospitals comply with legally mandated nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. The state needs to take a more proactive role by conducting unannounced visits at hospitals across California. We must do everything we can to make sure that we fully enforce existing law, since the stakes are simply too high for patients. I thank SEIU California and SEIU Local 121RN for co-sponsoring SB 1288 and standing alongside me in our fight to protect patients and making sure that nurses are able to properly care for their patients.”
| ———————————–Read the full press release here.———————————– |
What can you do?
Like last year, we will work hard to ensure our bill gets strong bi-partisan support and makes it all the way to the Governor’s desk for his signature. We’ll do it by speaking out, sharing our stories, talking to our co-workers about this important bill, lobbying legislators and speaking to the press.
Please join me and get involved:
- Click here to RSVP for our Lobby and Media Training on April 18th
- Watch our emails, website and Facebook page for updates so that you can participate in our escalating campaign to ensure SB 1288 BECOMES LAW!
- Click here to be an active "Nurse-Powered Politics!" RN/Healthcare Professional
In unity, Gayle Batiste, RN, CNOR President, SEIU Local 121RN
P.S. SEIU Local 121RN nurses are going public with our stories:
Kathy Montanino READ KATHY’S STORY | Joyce Powell READ JOYCE’S STORY |
Alvin Nadal READ ALVIN’S STORY | Yolanda Tominac READ YOLANDA’S STORY |
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