October 4, 2013
By Stephanie West
New York, NY – The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), announces its affiliation of the Florida Nurses Association/Labor & Employment Relations Council, which represents more than 5,000 Registered Nurses and professional health care employees.
The Labor & Employment Relations Council (LERC) is the labor relations arm of the Florida Nurses Association (FNA), which is governed by the Presidents of the various bargaining units represented by FNA – Wuesthoff Medical Center, University of Florida Health – Shands, Florida State University and the State of Florida Professional Health Care Unit.
“Professional nursing associations throughout the country are recognizing the strength that comes with affiliation with OPEIU and the labor movement,” said OPEIU International President Michael Goodwin. “This partnership between the OPEIU and FNA will make OPEIU an even more effective representative of the nursing profession, and provide FNA with the ability to better serve its members through collective bargaining.
“The OPEIU Nurses Council, of which FNA will be a member, will promote best practices regarding patient care, nurses personal safety concerns and staffing levels in the workplace, particularly as we navigate the changing healthcare system under the Affordable Care Act, to ensure that our members are able to provide the highest quality care to their patients,” continued Goodwin.
“This affiliation is a vote of confidence in OPEIU and its ability to best represent nursing professionals,” concluded Goodwin
