CIR Residents at LA County Hospitals Stand in Solidarity with SEIU 721 Nurses

Los Angeles, CA –
On April 16, 2008, CIR leadership at Los Angeles County +USC Hospital and Harbor-UCLA Hospital made a commitment to stand with their sister union, SEIU 721, against the raids on their nurse membership.

Since the beginning of April, the California Nurses Association (CNA) has been at LA County facilities attempting to convince the SEIU 721 nurses to leave their union and join CNA instead. The SEIU 721 nurses, along with CIR agree that this move by CNA, if successful, would be detrimental to the nurses’ bargaining power at the table, as well as the alliance of wall-to-wall SEIU members at County facilities. CIR Regional Vice President Dr. Suganya Karuppana said, “We work together in the wards, ORs, and clinics, and work together at the bargaining table in contract negotiations. We do so successfully because our hospitals are represented by SEIU wall-to-wall.”

CIR in Los Angeles County collectively bargains with SEIU Local 721 to resolve common issues like safety and security in hospitals and emergency rooms. “Resident physicians have their strength not only through CIR/SEIU leadership, but also through solidarity with other LA County hospital workers and our sister union, SEIU 721,” said CIR Delegate Dr. Antonio Beltran of LAC+USC Hospital. CIR wants to continue to work with SEIU 721 nurses for quality care and resident leaders. Following a meeting with the 721 RN Division Representative, CIR residents have been informing their colleagues and nurses in their units about the raids by CNA, and encouraging nurses to continue to stand with all other SEIU county employees.