More than 300 nurses attended the Nurse Alliance of SEIU Leadership Conference from Oct. 25 to Oct. 27, 2017 in National Harbor, Maryland. Eight SEIU Local 521 nurses participated.
From left to right, SEIU Local 521 nurses who participated in the conference: Carmen Morales, Velia Esquivel-Ferguson, Monika Chauhan, Marilyn Mara, Holly Truong, Jo Odias, Cathy Glasson, Kathy Hughes, Jeff Rockholt, Aida Pena
Members participated in session and plenaries about improving healthcare and how nurses can become a voice for social change and justice.
Members also took the following issues to the Capitol Hill:
- Support a bi-partisan extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and not increase costs for working families, and hurt our healthcare system. America’s children need and deserve healthcare coverage.
- Support the hospitals that serve our most vulnerable communities by delaying payment reductions to states for Medicaid.
- Support a bi-partisan DREAM Act and tell the Administration to extend Temporary Protective Status (TPS). We need to uphold our American values by protecting immigrant youth and prevent the devastating separation of families if TPS is ended. Keep our families together with DACA & TPS.
“[We need to] educate our co-workers, friends, family about the importance of supporting measures that could potentially affect their coverage or quality of care. Medicaid saves lives!”
– Monica Chauhan, RN/Public Health Nurse in Santa Clara County
“What I liked most about the SEIU Nurse Alliance Conference was the opportunity to go to Capitol Hill and lobby House of Representative and US Senator staff to prevent cuts to Medicaid.”
– Jo Odias, RN/Public Health Nurse in Santa Clara County
“I will remember to not only promote cessation of drugs and alcohol but also refer patients to needle exchange site to reduce harm until they are ready to quit.”
– Holly Truong, RN/Public Health Nurse in Santa Clara County
“Our young RNs and millennial are a critical population that we definitely need to tap into in our labor movement. They have incredible creativity, ideas, influence and energy that would benefit our entire country. I am very pleased that SEIU Local 521 encouraged more RNs to attend this year’s biennial Nurse Alliance conference.”
– Marilyn Mara, RN/Public Health Nurse in Santa Clara County
“Attending the Biennial Conference reminded me the importance of being a union member to promote and make changes in our communities. It helped me get a greater understanding of racial, economic, healthcare and environmental injustices, and how these issues relate to nursing and quality care. All nurses need to understand the power of nurses coming together to advocate for ourselves and their profession. We need to be active in our communities; we need to fight for justice and not let anti-union people take away our rights. Together, we WIN!”
– Aida Pena, RN/Public Health Nurse in Santa Clara County
