As health care professional, our first priority is our patients. Our patients count on us to be their advocates. Because we have a voice on the job through our union, we know we can speak out without putting our our livelihoods at risk. We believe all health care professionals--indeed, all workers--should have this right. But when workers try to organize for a voice on the job, often unscrupulous employers harass, intimidate and deprive them of their freedom to choose whether or not to form a union. That's why we need the Employee Free Choice Act. This proposed federal legislation would bring fairness back to union organizing. Take action today and ask U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein to co-sponsor the Employee Free Choice Act.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

As a health care professional, my first priority is my patients. Because I'm a union member, I know that I can advocate for my patients without being afraid to lose my job.

Every health care professional ought to have this freedom to speak out. But thousands don't. And oftentimes when they try to form a union, unscrupulous employers will launch vicious campaigns to deny them the right to choose whether or not to have a voice on the job.

We've seen this in our own union, United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals-AFSCME. When administrators at Parkview Community Hospital in Riverside found out that RN Deirdre Kirkwood was active in a campaign to join our union, they fired her with no notice, despite her spotless, seven-year work record.

We need federal labor laws that will protect nurses like Deirdre, instead of the weak and toothless regulations we have today that cost dedicated professionals their jobs.

Please co-sponsor the Employee Free Choice Act, which will bring fairness back to union organizing and enable health care professionals to truly advocate for their patients.

I look forward to hearing back from you regarding this issue.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
January 19, 2009