San Bernardino Press MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 - SEPTEMBER 21, 2014
sanbernardinopress.com
As labor negotiations stall, San Bernardino nurses strike by Vickie Vértiz
attention to “what they view as unsafe conditions for their patients and a lack of response in negotiations by county officials,” said the National Nurses United website. They claim that labor negotiations have not
new law and Brown called the bill by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego “real step forward” for, especially middle-class, workers, who had to choose between forcing themselves to work while sick and thus possibly endangering coworkers, or recover at home losing essential income and Please see page 2
Please see page 2
improved between them and the county, which jeopardizes patient safety, reported the San Bernardino County Sun. Over 100 nurses marched Please see page 4
New law requires paid sick leave for California workers by Jennifer schlueter According to the governor’s office, “about 40% of California’s workforce — an estimated 6.5 million people — have no paid sick leave benefits at all,” stated the Los Angeles Times. This will change July of next year, because last Wednesday, Governor Jerry Brown signed the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 (AB 1522). For both part-time
and full-time employees working more than 30 days per year, the legislation requires employers to grant them three days of paid sick leave. For every 30 hours of labor, employees can earn a minimum of one paid sick leave hour to recuperate themselves, or assist a sick family member. Unions and worker’s rights groups have long favored the
Church launches fundraising shoe drive to raise funds, support microenterprise in developing nations, and help the environment Emmanuel United Methodist Church is conducting a shoe collection drive on September 19, October 3 and October 24 to raise funds for Imagine No Malaria while benefiting microenterprise ventures in developing nations and keeping old shoes out of local landfills. Individuals can help by donating gently worn, used shoes at Emmanuel United Methodist Church’s parking lot from 3 – 5 PM, 3310 North “G” Street. In the US alone, approximately 630 million pairs of shoes are thrown away per year. The materials used to manufacture a pair of shoes are created from chemical compounds that will create health hazards if left to disintegrate openly or in landfills. By donating your gently worn, used shoes to the Imagine No Malaria Shoe Drive, your shoes are given a second chance to make a difference. All donated shoes will be redistributed to microenterprise partners through Funds2Orgs and used in developing nations for impoverished people to start,
-Photo by Terry Miller
On Tuesday, September 9, nurses for Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) and other San Bernardino County facilities held an informational picket line outside the county Government Center to bring
VOLUME 1, NO. 20
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Rep. Schiff wants Obama to seek authorization for any continued use of force in Iraq or Syria from Congress Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), a senior Member of the Intelligence Committee and author of legislation to sunset the post9/11 authorization for use of military force, released the following statement: “The threat posed ISIS is very real and must be confronted. The President was right to act in Iraq last month to protect American personnel, prevent a humanitarian crisis, and push back jihadists from continuing their campaign of mass slaughter. However, if the President intends to prolong the military campaign in Iraq or extend it into Syria, he needs to make the case directly to the American people and secure authorization from Congress. “All Americans are repulsed and enraged by the gruesome
murders of two American journalists and the horrors committed by ISIS against the people of Iraq and Syria. As the President outlines his strategy to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIS – a plan he acknowledges will take years – Congress must carefully consider what it is being asked to approve regarding a military campaign that will extend from this Presidency to the next. “The Constitution gives Congress the responsibility to declare war, even while investing in the President the power to wage war once declared and to take limited other actions in defense of the country. Since the actions contemplated by the President go well beyond the immediate imperative of protecting Americans at risk, Congress is required to act.”
Change lives. Make wishes come true.
Three days of paid sick leave Continued from page 1
fearing job loss. The governor added in a statement: “Whether you’re a dishwasher in San Diego or a store clerk in Oakland, this bill frees you of having to choose between your family’s health and your job.” After Connecticut in 2011, California has become the second state to grant paid sick leave. Five years prior, San Francisco County was the first county nationwide to adopt such a law for workers within the county. According to the LA Times, the bill exempts not only “workers subject to certain collective bargaining agreements and airline flight crews and attendants who are under federal labor laws,” but also 363,000 state workers, because its execution would have cost the state of California more money. The Washington Post quoted a statement of the National Federation of Independent Business in California, in which the association’s executive director John Kabateck inquired: “So the state can’t afford its own mandates, but small business owners are supposed to be able to absorb those costs?” He added: “Our small-business owners, who make up more than 99% of the employer community in Cali-
fornia, already face an increase in minimum wage, among the highest taxes and more regulations than any other state. This will only serve to eliminate any plans small employers have to grow and expand their businesses.” Jot Condie, president and chief executive of the California Restaurants Assn., also argues against the law: “Operators essentially have to pay twice — for the staffer staying home and for someone to take their place,” he told the LA Times. “A one-sizefits-all approach to sick leave is inappropriate and onerous.” Others, such as Los Feliz’ Skylight Books owner and manager Kerry Slattery, who already provides paid sick leave and paid vacation, support the new law: “I think it’s a reasonable thing to do,” Slattery said. “It’s investing in professional employees.” Brown justified his decision to improve working conditions for the middle class with the following statement: “When you look at the power and the wealth that is accumulated by a very small percentage, and then you look at the people at the bottom ... this is the least we can do and there’s more in the coming years,” he told the LA Times.
Fundraising shoe drive Continued from page 1
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maintain, and grow a unique business opportunity to feed, clothe, and house their families. “We are very excited to be conducting this shoe drive in the Inland Empire” notes Jan Windhausen, Outreach Chairman. “This campaign will raise funds that directly benefit Imagine No Malaria and be used for providing prevention, treatment and education to help eliminate malaria in Africa. The additional advantages of diverting shoes from the waste stream to create commerce and sustainability in peoples’ lives make this a win-
win for everyone,” said Windhausen. “Our goal is to collect 3,000 PAIRS OF SHOES. The only way we can do that is if community members step up and help. I am calling on everyone to clean out their unwanted, gently worn, used shoes and donate them to us.” If you, or a local organization, are interested in learning more about this opportunity or participating in your own shoe drive you may contact Jan Windhausen by phone at 909882-0011 or email sbeumc@ verizon.net.
Sept. 20, 2014 San Bernardino Public Library 4:00-5:30 p.m. presents author Isabel Quintero
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Join us Saturday Septem“Believing she’s not Mexiber 20, 2014 at the Norman F. can enough for her family and Feldheym Public Library in San not white enough for Berkeley, Bernardino for a book release Gabi still meets every challenge and reading by Isabel Quintero, head-on with vulgar humor author of Gabi, a Girl in Pieces. and raw honesty… A refreshing This program will take place in take on slut- and fat-shaming, Kellogg Room A at the Feld- Quintero’s work ranks with heym Central Library at 555 Meg Medina’s Yaqui Delgado Attendees will have the opportunity to add a poem or small collage to W. 6th Street in San Bernardino Wants to Kick Your Ass (CanGabi’s Giant Traveling Zine, which will accompany Isabel Quintero as from 4:00-5:30 PM. dlewick, 2013) and Junot Dishe attendsBooks readingwill around the country. az’s Drown (Riverhead, 1996) be available for purchase at a book signing as a coming-of-age novel with “Readers won’t forget Light Gabi, areyoung womanprotagonists. coming into her—Starred own following thesoon reading. Latino in freshments the face of intense pressure from her family, culture and society will be served. The Review, School Library toJourfit first someone else’s idea of what itthe meansnal, to August be a ‘good’ girl. A fresh, 10 people to purchase 1, 2014 authentic andedition honest exploration of contemporary hardback of Gabi, a Girl PleaseLatina note identity.” that the book is REVIEW, in Pieces will receive a color- STARRED recommended for KIRKUS readers 9th copy of the original “The Fe- grade and up due to some adult -Courtesy Photo male Body” and “Taco Time” language and content. This book is recommended for Book zines. signing Attendees offollowing this event the reading readers 9th grade and up. have the10opportunity to purchase the – will the first people to add a poem or small collage to hardback edition receive a color Gabi’s Giant Travelingwill Zine, which will accompany Isabel Norman F. Feldheym copy of the original “The Female Body” Quintero as she attends readPublic Library ings“Taco around Time” the country. and zines. Isabel Quintero was born Kellogg Room A and raised in Southern Califor555 W 6th St., San Bernardino nia. Her love of reading and Light refreshments writing comes from her mother 909.381.8238 • www.sbpl.org reading to her will beforebe sheserved went to bed, and from the teachers and professors who encouraged her to keep writing. Her love of chorizo and carne asada tacos comes from her dad grilling on Sundays during summertime. She is an elementary school liLong Beach Office brary technician and loves shar3780 Kilroy Airport Way ing her passion for the written Suite 360 word with students. She also teaches community college part Long Beach, CA 90806 time and works as a freelance Ph. (562) 472-0071 writer for the Arts Connection Fx. (562) 689-0071 of San Bernardino. Quintero works as events coordinator for Orange Monkey Publishing and Los Angeles Office assistant editor for Tin Cannon, 5701 South Eastern Avenue a literary journal. Suite 100 “Readers won’t soon forget Gabi, a young woman coming Los Angeles, CA 90040 into her own in the face of inPh. (323) 727-1144 tense pressure from her family, Fx. (323) 727-9198 culture and society to fit someone else’s idea of what it means to be a ‘good’ girl. A fresh, auwww.heger-industrial.com thentic and honest exploration Lic. #00814086 of contemporary Latina identity.” Starred Review, Kirkus
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Governor Brown signs agreement with Ambassador of Japan Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. on Monday signed an agreement with Japan’s Ambassador to the United States, Kenichiro Sasae, to further cooperation between Japan and California on climate change, renewable energy, trade and investment, zero-emission vehicles, high-speed rail and water. The agreement calls for the two entities to collaborate on technologies that will support California’s goal of having 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025, as well as innovation related to high-speed rail, water conservation and renewable energy. Last year, Governor Brown met with Osaka Gover-
nor Ichiro Matsui and signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation between California and its sister-state in Japan on clean energy, environmental protection, tourism and other areas. The agreement follows Governor Brown’s July Trade and Investment Mission to Mexico and meetings with Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto in Sacramento and Los Angeles last month. Over the past year, Governor Brown has also signed accords with leaders from Mexico, China, Canada, Israel and Peru to combat climate change, strengthen California’s economic ties, and expand cooperation on promising research. In February,
-Courtesy Photo
Governor Brown established the California International Trade and Investment Advisory Council to help expand international
business opportunities for California companies and appointed former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary Eleni Kounalakis as chair.
As labor negotiations stall, San Bernardino nurses strike Continued from page 1
around the fountain in front of the Government Center, said the Sun, some wearing red polo shirts and chanted, “Patient safety first, be fair to your nurse.” During the picket, they circled for an hour, and then moved into the Government Center, where protestors spoke to the county Board of Supervisors during their regularly scheduled meeting. The Sun spoke with Rhonda Watts, an ARMC veteran nurse of 22 years. Watts works in the intensive care unit at the
hospital and said it has become a place where new nurses are trained. Therefore, she says, the county is not competitive by recruiting more experienced nurses or retaining more seasoned nurses within the system. She added that the county hiring strategy is “penny-wise and pound-foolish.” For the past eight months, the county has been in labor talks with the California Nurses Association (CNA), representing ARMC nurses and other San Bernardino County agen-
cies including juvenile detention facilities and outpatient clinics, reported the Sun. They have been negotiating a new contract, but nurses claim that despite a surplus in the budget, the county has not granted pay increases that will attract more qualified nurses to their facilities. In addition to that benefit, to the union also says that pay increases will retain existing nurses and improve patient care by bringing in seasoned nurses. However, David Wert, a county spokesperson, told the Sun that CAN grievances are not about patient safety, but about money. “They’re claiming the county has some kind of budget surplus. We have ongoing deficits for the next five years,” Wert said. “They [are] claiming that there are [nurse] recruitment and retention issues, but the average tenure for a nurse at ARMC is nine years. That pretty much tells you there is [not] a problem with nurses leaving ARMC.” Wert added that the county hospital has a long waiting list of nurses who are “beating
down the doors” to get jobs, said the Sun. Wert also added that the state routinely finds ARMC in full compliance in terms of nurse-to-patient ratios addressing the union claims that quality of care is at stake. Wert asserted that “the county cannot afford to give anyone pay increases at this time, and what we are offering the nurses is the same thing every other county employee has been offered and has accepted, and we expect the same will eventually be true for the nurses.” But nurses say that RNs are forced to work in units outside their area of expertise, while “inadequate RN-to patient staffing causes nurses to frequently work without the ability to take a break.” The county is planning to spend $15 million on registry nurses, a temporary nurse arrangement, when “it would be more cost effective and […] hire qualified, permanent nursing staff,” said the National Nurses United website. A lag on pay increases could ultimately result in nurses striking across the county.