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| Allysha Almada, RN |
She got fired from her job.
Well, it's a bit more complicated than that. Allysha Almada was a registered nurse at Huntington Memorial Medical Center in California. She was also rallying her fellow nurses to form a union. That's when she got fired. Armada claims her release was retaliation for her union organizing efforts.
Allysha became more visible in this effort, appearing in an ad on public buses running throughout the San Gabriel Valley and courageously speaking out at a public forum and a press conference on the need to improve conditions at the hospital, joined by many local elected officials and many community supporters, especially from faith leaders and labor allies who supported the nurses' right to organize.
The California Nurses Association (CNA) alleges Huntington management retaliated by firing Allysha and another Asian/American nurse who was involved in organizing workers at the hospital.
Almada, who worked in the Huntington ICU for nearly five years, believes her dismissal was directly related to her union activities:
"I put my whole soul into caring for my patients, and management knows this. “I’ve worked as a nurse educator, sat on a committee of nurse leaders who bring patient care concerns to management; I have special training in trauma and open heart. I care deeply about providing the best possible care, and that’s exactly why I spoke up at the panel—to help ensure that RNs are supported in providing top-quality, safe care. The next thing I knew, I was being fired. They are trying to silence nurses. This is intimidation—and it’s wrong."
“They said I had just violated hospital policies but it is definitely clearly retaliation during the sequence of events and because of what I’ve been trying to advocate for. They fired me because I’ve been advocating for nurses to have a voice at Huntington hospital,” she said.
Vicki Lin, a two-year veteran of the ICU, also was fired. "On my last annual review, I was rated 98 out of 100," Lin said. "It just doesn't make sense to let go of nurses who are doing good work—simply because we want to exercise our federal right to work collectively in the best interest of our patients."
The RNs at the hospital voted against unionization last spring but CNA claims the setback was due to the harassment and intimidation tactics employed by management. The National Labor Relations Board has initiated a thorough check into the hospital’s alleged union busting practices.
Almada, who worked in the Huntington ICU for nearly five years, believes her dismissal was directly related to her union activities:
"I put my whole soul into caring for my patients, and management knows this. “I’ve worked as a nurse educator, sat on a committee of nurse leaders who bring patient care concerns to management; I have special training in trauma and open heart. I care deeply about providing the best possible care, and that’s exactly why I spoke up at the panel—to help ensure that RNs are supported in providing top-quality, safe care. The next thing I knew, I was being fired. They are trying to silence nurses. This is intimidation—and it’s wrong."
“They said I had just violated hospital policies but it is definitely clearly retaliation during the sequence of events and because of what I’ve been trying to advocate for. They fired me because I’ve been advocating for nurses to have a voice at Huntington hospital,” she said.
Vicki Lin, a two-year veteran of the ICU, also was fired. "On my last annual review, I was rated 98 out of 100," Lin said. "It just doesn't make sense to let go of nurses who are doing good work—simply because we want to exercise our federal right to work collectively in the best interest of our patients."
The RNs at the hospital voted against unionization last spring but CNA claims the setback was due to the harassment and intimidation tactics employed by management. The National Labor Relations Board has initiated a thorough check into the hospital’s alleged union busting practices.
WHITE HOUSE CALLS
Armada's activism got her a White House invitation last Tuesday (Oct. 7) to attend The Summit on Workers Voice focuses on “how workers can make their voices heard in their workplace in ways that are good for the workers and businesses,” according to a White House release.“I’m definitely excited to bring the message of the Huntington nurses to the White House and the Capitol,” Almada said at a send-off outside of Pasadena City Hall, where Councilman Victor Gordo awarded her with a “Courage Award.”
Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 7), Almada appeared with Sen. Sanders, I-Vermont, and Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wisconsin, who announced that they are introducing the Workplace Democracy Act, a measure designed to make it easier for workers to join a union and to engage in collective bargaining.
“The Workplace Democracy Act strengthens the middle class by restoring workers’ rights to bargain for better wages, benefits, and working conditions,” says Pocan. “One of the root causes of declining wages is that workers’ ability to join together and bargain for higher wages and better working conditions has been has been severely undermined. This bill would make it easier for workers to have a voice in the workplace, providing a bigger paycheck to middle class families trying to pay the mortgage and find a way to send their kids to college.”
Its sponsors say that “the Workplace Democracy Act would allow the National Labor Relations Board to certify a union if a simple majority of eligible workers sign valid authorization cards. The bill also requires companies to begin negotiating within 10 days after certification. If no first contract is reached after 90 days, either party can request compulsory mediation. After 30 days of mediation, the parties will submit the remaining issues to binding arbitration.”
Although she was fired, Almada wants to return to Huntington to her old job. When she gets back to California, she will continue to fight for reinstatement and continue to fight for better care for the patients in her care.
TAKE ACTION: If you want to sign a petition for the reinstatement of Almada and co-worker Lin, click here.
“The Workplace Democracy Act strengthens the middle class by restoring workers’ rights to bargain for better wages, benefits, and working conditions,” says Pocan. “One of the root causes of declining wages is that workers’ ability to join together and bargain for higher wages and better working conditions has been has been severely undermined. This bill would make it easier for workers to have a voice in the workplace, providing a bigger paycheck to middle class families trying to pay the mortgage and find a way to send their kids to college.”
Its sponsors say that “the Workplace Democracy Act would allow the National Labor Relations Board to certify a union if a simple majority of eligible workers sign valid authorization cards. The bill also requires companies to begin negotiating within 10 days after certification. If no first contract is reached after 90 days, either party can request compulsory mediation. After 30 days of mediation, the parties will submit the remaining issues to binding arbitration.”
“Millions of Americans who want to join unions are unable to do so because of the coercive and often illegal behavior of their employers,” explains Sanders. “The benefits of joining a union are clear: higher wages, better benefits and a more secure retirement. If we are serious about reducing income and wealth inequality and rebuilding the middle class, we have got to substantially increase the number of union jobs in this country.
Although she was fired, Almada wants to return to Huntington to her old job. When she gets back to California, she will continue to fight for reinstatement and continue to fight for better care for the patients in her care.
TAKE ACTION: If you want to sign a petition for the reinstatement of Almada and co-worker Lin, click here.
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