Ca. Nurses Rally to Guarantee Defeat

pickledpepperRN · Sep 22, 2003

http://www.calnurse.org/cna/press/91003.html

September 10, 2003

Gathering Sunday in Oakland, Ca. Nurses Rally to Guarantee Defeat

For Attempt to Change Overtime Rules

Buoyed by the U.S. Senate's rejection of a Bush Administration proposal to drastically alter federal rules governing overtime pay, leaders of nurses' unions around the country plan to huddle in Oakland, Ca. next week to mobilize to prevent the measure's resurrection by the leadership in the House of Representatives.

On Wednesday, the Senate voted 54-45 to block the White House effort to alter U.S. labor law stipulating who can collect overtime pay. A similar measure has been passed by the House and it is expected that the Administration will now seek to push it through the House-Senate conference committee.

The overtime pay change was strongly opposed by CNA and the recently-formed American Association of Registered Nurses (AARN) played a leading role in the campaign to defeat it.

Representatives of the AARN and other nurse organizations will be on hand in Oakland to participate in a three-day celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the California Nurses Association, the state's largest organization of Registered Nurses.

"The proposed rule change would have a devastating effect on employees everywhere but it would be even more disastrous for nursing as it would impact negatively on the quality of patient care," said Jill Furillo, RN, CNA director of National Affairs. "We are greatly relieved by today's Senate vote but we cannot let down our guard. This issue is still before us.

"That's why when the Registered Nurses of CNA meet in Oakland next week we will get together with nurses from around the country and make plans to alert the public and make our position clear to members of Congress," Furillo said.

It is estimated that as many as eight million workers could be denied overtime pay under the proposed rule change. Furillo said it could easily affect as many as 40,000 RNs in California alone who are not covered by union contracts.

Furillo noted that the American Hospital Association has lobbied heavily in support of the rule change. "As well they might," she said. "Its passage would be a tremendous