Cook County RNs Vote by 97 Percent To Authorize Strike in Huge Turnout - Huge turnout by CCBHS nurses sends strong message to County

Cook County Bureau of Health Services (CCBHS) Registered Nurses have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike at the county's 29 facilities, the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association announced today. 

At polling sites across the county over three days, the RNs voted to authorize their nurse negotiating team to call a walkout. Both the strike margin, and huge turnout – nurses stood in line to vote at Stroger and Oak Forest hospitals and at other locations, and nurses on vacation turned out to vote – "indicated the determination and unity of the RNs,” Fernando Losada, an NNOC/CNA representative said.  With a total of 1193 RNs voting, 1151 yes votes and 42 no votes, this is a clear mandate from the RNs.

"This vote sends an emphatic message to the county. Cook County nurses will not settle for second class status for their patients or themselves. It's time for the county to get serious, stop foot dragging, and get busy in negotiations,” Losada said. 

The National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association (NNOC/CNA) represents some 1,800 CCBHS RNs at three hospitals, over 20 community clinics, four public health offices, the county jail, and the juvenile detention center. 

No date has been set for a strike, and the parties return to negotiations tomorrow. But the vote is a decisive signal that the RNs expect the county to move on their concerns about patient safety and retention of experienced RNs.

Talks with county officials on a new collective bargaining agreement have been ongoing since September, with little progress being made.

In a system marked by extremely heavy loads of very sick patients, safe staffing and patient care protections are the central issue.

The RNs are asking the county to establish a system under which staffing will be based on patient care needs, and agree to set up a Professional Practice Committee of direct care RNs elected by their colleagues to represent them in addressing patient care concerns with management, as exists in other NNOC/CNA contracts. 

Under the current system, RNs are forced to deal with too many patients, meaning they are unable to provide each the care they deserve; in some clinics the case load for nurses can be over 200 patients. 

'Stalling means our patients suffer'

"We are patient advocates and Cook County stalling our negotiations means our patients suffer,” says Sharon Dugger-Smith, RN, a labor and delivery nurse at Provident Hospital. "Our voting to authorize job actions including a possible strike is the best way for us to advocate for our patients.”

"The situation for nurses in Cook County is critical and getting worse every day in patient safety and keeping RNs in the system,” says Jill Furillo, RN, chief negotiator for the nurses.  "What the nurses want, and the county needs, is for the RNs to have a strong voice in patient care decisions and staffing.”

'Can't continue at management's current pace'

"We can't continue at management's current pace,” said Furillo. "The county is not taking their nurses seriously, but the nurses are very serious about resolving this situation immediately.”

Other outstanding issues are pay parity with other area hospitals, and maintenance of health benefits for the RNs.

Those issues are also central to the ability of the county to keep its current professional RNs at the bedside and recruit new nurses, Furillo noted. Yet the county has yet to even make an economic proposal to the RNs.

"It's time for them to bring forward a fair contract package that responds to NNOC's proposals so Cook County patients will have some assurance that they will have access to the best and most experienced RNs when they need care. The patients deserve nothing less,” Furillo added.

CCBHS RNs voted to join NNOC/CNA last May. NNOC/CNA represents some 70,000 RNs in Illinois, California, and 39 other states.