SOJwJ SUPPORTS MERCY NURSES, Solidarity- “Road Trip” to Roseburg

Monday July 16, 2007
Mercy Medical Center, Roseburg, Oregon

THE TIME TO SUPPORT MERCY NURSES IS NOW !
Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice calls upon Our Member Organizations, Our Individual Pledge Card Signers and ALL Southern Oregonians who support social and economic justice. The nurses at Mercy Hospital in Roseburg, Oregon need our support on Monday, July 16th for a Day Long Informational Picket. We joined them for a big
rally on May 4, 2007* (*see below), yet they still need our help as their struggle drags on and on and on . . . . The Mercy Nurses prolonged attempts to bargain a first contract has proved to be a gross violation of the intent of labor law, yet the denial of member representation is a slap in the face to the dedicated nursing workforce at Mercy. Fundamental protections for people to associate and to “be union” have been violated by an employer that bargains in
bad faith. The “bad faith bargaining sessions” have now lasted a year and 1/2 with no end in sight. The Mercy Nurses Need Our Support Now!

COME JOIN US FOR THIS SOLIDARITY ROAD TRIP

Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice is planning a solidarity road trip to Roseburg to support our ONA Nurses at Mercy Medical Center. This is important. Please Join this Fundamental Call For Workforce Justice. Monday, July 16 is during the week so it is really tough for our workforce to attend. If you are able to join in this “road
trip” for health care justice know that we plan to fund some gas money for the car-pools. (upon approval of our bod who is hpo (hundred percent onboard). Our SOJwJ BOD met last night and we are in total support of the ONA Nurses at Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg, Oregon. Here is the plan for car pools north. Please
share this and help us build a “Road Trip of Solidarity” from here in the Rogue Valley. Sign up, Get involved, Give me a call, lets do this now!

CAR-POOLS TO MERCY NURSE RALLY IN ROSEBURG, MONDAY JULY 16, 2007
Leave Ashland 1:30 p.m. (Evos Coffee House, near our closed library)
Leave Medford 2:00 p.m. (Sherms Food-4-Less, North Medford Exit - Meet Near Chevron Gas Station)
Mercy Medical Center is at 2700 Stewart ParkwayFrom Interstate 5 southbound: Take Exit #127 (Stewart Parkway), right on Edenbower Boulevard to Stewart Parkway, right on Stewart Parkway to MMC (1/4 mile).

Rally with Mercy Nurses at the Mercy Medical Center 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Car-Pool back to Rogue Valley - Leave 6:00 p.m.
Arrive in Medford 8:00 p.m. (Sherms)
Arrive in Ashland 8:30 p.m. or sooner! (Evos)

Thank you,

Wes Brain, Chair
Southern Oregon Jobs With Justice
298 Garfield Street
Ashland, OR 97520
541-482-6988
brain@mind.net

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

*MAY 4, 2007 RALLY IN ROSEBURG, OREGON*
150 folks gathered in Roseburg, Oregon on May 4, 2007 to support the nurses who work at Mercy Hospital. Over a year ago the Mercy Nurses voted overwhelmingly to form a union and join the Oregon Nurses
Association, yet the Mercy Administration has failed to bargain in good faith and the nurses do not have a contract yet. Following can be found two stories about the Mercy Nurses.

Rogue IMC story about the Mercy Nurses’ struggle http://rogueimc.org/en/2007/05/8416.shtml

Mercy Nurse Roberta Silva interviewed on the Brain Labor Report (mp3 audio file) http://www.kskq.org/blr/2007/05/03/oregon-nursing-solidarity

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HERE IS MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MERCY PICKET ON MONDAY, JULY 16 IN ROSEBURG, OREGON

RNS WANT NO MORE DELAYS FOR OUR COMMMUNITY!

The Nurses of Mercy Medical Center are committed to building a workplace where our highest priorities are:

· Providing safe and quality patient care;

· Ensuring staffing levels are sufficient to provide that care;
and

· Guaranteeing fairness for all staff

Over two years ago we began to express our concerns, share our ideas and participate on committees to better the workplace, all to no avail. We concluded that in order for Mercy Medical Center to observe these priorities and provide our community with the hospital it deserves, Mercy medical Center administration needed to listen to the voice of the Nurses.

Last year, we identified these vital priorities to management. Despite intimidation, threats, and fear of retaliation, we spoke with our collective voices and on January 11, 2006, we voted to be represented by ONA. Under our own RN strong leadership, we are ONA.
Since then, over one year has passed. During that time, we have been negotiating with Mercy Medical Center administration. While we appreciate the change in leadership and the resulting positive impact, we believe that the negotiation process has been held up long enough. There are nine outstanding articles left to negotiate,
relating to issues that are crucial to a fair contract for RNs.

Nurses united together can create the highest standards of healthcare at Mercy Medical Center for our community. This has always been our goal and remains the reason why we organized. Please support us in
this struggle. E-mail MMC’s CEO, Kelly Morgan at kellymorgan@chiwest.com. Send the message that a fair contract for RNs, without further delay, is critical to a safe hospital for our
community.

Mercy Nurses Have Been Negotiating Their First Contract for a Year and a Half!!! Help Them to Achieve their Reasonable Goals of:

· Ensuring Staffing Levels are Sufficient to Provide Quality
Patient Care

· Guaranteeing Fairness for ALL Staff

Support Us On the Picket Line July 16th!

Join us in front of the hospital for an Informational Picket anytime
8am-8pm