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April 18, 2005
To the Members of Hawaii Nurses Association:
It is with great honor and pride that I thank you all, for having afforded me the opportunity to serve as your President of the new Hawaii Nurses’ Association. It has been my vision for our restructured organization to be a unified organization comprised of both, bargaining and non-bargaining nurses, with shared responsibilities in the local control and safeguarding of our organization, with the express advantage of additional resources and representation at the national level through our national affiliates, the American Nurses’ Association and its structural unit (labor arm), the United American Nurses.
Having fended off incursions brought to our shores, we now realize that it is important to be involved, and stay involved, and that we remain united as Hawaii Nurses Association with strong national affiliates so that we may measurably advance in all opportunities for success on efforts of utmost importance to the profession – issues on safe nurse staffing, prohibitions on mandatory overtime, healthcare reform, retiree health insurance, social security protection, labor law reform, and a variety of practice issues.
Under the auspices of the United American Nurses, several colleagues and I traveled to Washington D.C. in March 2005 and lobbied for support of the Safe Nurse Staffing Bill, the bill on prohibitions on Mandatory Overtime, and The Employee Free Choice Act – Legislation to Protect Americans’ Right to Choose a Union. I continue to support these efforts at the State level through our local legislative process.
I have also envisioned a cooperative working relationship among the various organizations representing Registered Nurses and other healthcare providers, and with other labor organizations within the greater community, and offshore, in reciprocating support for each other, thus creating a larger support network, and promoting a positive image of the profession within our local community, and at the national level.
I am proud to say that together, we have taken the necessary steps towards the restructuring of our State Nurses’ Association for more efficient representation of all Hawaii Nurses, and in maintaining our identity as Hawaii Nurses, but with a strong national voice.
Again, I thank you all for your continued support and involvement.
Luanne H. Long, RN
President
Hawaii Nurses’ Association
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