Rally to Support the Cedars-Sinai Registered Nurses

Protest Organized to Tell Cedars-Sinai to respect the nurses and recognize their union

WHEN: Dec. 10th, 11am-1pm

WHO: Rabbi Allen Freehling, Senator Sheila Kuehl, Assemblymember Judy Chu, the Jewish Labor Committee and registered nurses from throughout Southern California to mark International Human Rights Day & the 2nd Anniversary of the Cedars-Sinai RN election Victory

WHERE: Outside Cedars Sinai Hospital (NW corner of Gracie Allen/San Vicente, One block south of Beverly Blvd. - in front of Cedars-Sinai Imaging Dept.)

WHY: The management-dominated labor board recently overturned the union vote of the Cedars-Sinai RNs. The nurses are still going strong, fighting for their right to organize, fighting for united voice as patient advocates. Community United for Respect and Equality at Cedars-Sinai (CURE) is concerned community members united with nurses to fight for fairness and quality healthcare.

Some more recent developments:

• Anti-union consultants have been roaming the hospital, conducting repeated propaganda sessions with RNs individually and in groups, while CNA representatives have been banned from providing information.

• The labor board ordered a new election for this past October, but the nurses decided that the time was not right, given the current union-busting campaign. The nurses decided to withdraw the election petition, in effect canceling the new election, but preserving the moral victory of the 2002 election.

• RNs continue to organize, which has taken on new importance as Cedars-Sinai implements a patient care restructuring plan and campaigns in favor of rolling back the nurse-to-patient ratio laws.

• Unfair Labor Practice charges are pending in response to heavy-handed anti-union campaigning and deception.

• U.S. Dept. of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards is investigating Cedars-Sinai's failure to report union-busting expenditures.

• Community leaders are joining together in support of the RNs, and formed Community United for Respect and Equality at Cedars-Sinai

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