Kindred RN Alice Sebastian: ‘We are thrilled to have won. We are stronger when we all work together to improve working conditions’

By a sweeping 90 percent margin, registered nurses at Kindred Hospital-Baldwin Park voted  Tuesday night to join the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United, the state’s largest nurses union.

Tuesday’s vote at the Los Angeles area hospital was the first step in a hospital wide unionization campaign. Other hospital staff will vote next week on whether to join the CNA-affiliated Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union.

CNA will represent some 100 RNs at the long-term care facility. The RNs voted 57-6 in the secret ballot election, which was conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.

Key issues for the RNs in voting for unionization included a desire to improve patient care staffing and wages. They were also inspired by RNs at another Kindred facility, Westminster, in Orange County who are currently enjoying their first CNA collective bargaining contract, and participated in talking to the Kindred RNs about the benefits of becoming CNA members.

“We are thrilled to have won our election by a super majority and we look forward to bargaining our first contract. Next week, our co-workers will vote to join Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union (CHEU). Baldwin Park Employees know we are stronger when we all stand together to improve working conditions!” Alice Sebastian, RN Med/Surg-Kindred Baldwin Park.

“Congratulations Kindred Baldwin Park RNs in your solid union victory with CNA/NNU. You’ve paved the way for us all. We look forward to voting to join CHEU on November 9th so we can work together to bargain contracts that work for all employees.” Rosita Peredia, CNA, Kindred Baldwin Park.

The CHEU vote at Kindred Baldwin Party is scheduled November 9. 

“We are extremely happy to welcome Kindred Baldwin Park RNs into our CNA family,” said CNA Co-President Zenei Cortez, RN, “and we look forward to their colleagues also voting to join us next week.”

CNA/NNU is the largest organization of nurses in California representing 100,000 RNs with a strong record of advocacy for nurses and patients. Most recently CNA members participated in winning the strongest regulations in the nation, based on a CNA-sponsored 2014 state law, requiring workplace violence prevention plans in hospitals to protect hospital employees, patients, and visitors.