Nurses to Whitman: Don't Push Us Around

by Shum Preston, California Nurses Association

Gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman has been attacking the California Nurses Association all week, upset that the state’s RNs don’t support her $100-million campaign for the state’s top office. Today, nurses fired back with a rally and press conference of over 100 RNs at CNA’s Oakland headquarters. Nurse leaders said they were insulted by Whitman’s demands that CNA provide her with the home addresses of the state’s nurses, and harassing phone calls her campaign had made to nurses in order to spread negative information about CNA.           

CNA Co-president Deborah Burger, RN:

We are outraged that Meg Whitman thinks she has the right to nurses’ private information. It goes to show how arrogant she has been and will continue to be if elected.

The union also announced they will hold a forum in Whitman’s hometown of Atherton July 15, and ask the candidate to appear before nurses and answer their unscripted questions about her policies.

"If Meg Whitman won’t come to us, we’ll go to her,” said Jill Furillo, RN, CNA’s Southern California bargaining director.

Queen Meg, the CNA-invented satire character who dogged Whitman throughout the primary campaign, also arrived at the event in a black SUV with her bodyguards Goldman and Sachs. Surrounded by nurses shouting ‘Go Away Meg,’ the imperious queen attempted unsuccessfully to make off with a locked box labeled ‘Nurses’ Personal Information.’

“I’ve got plenty of money and I can buy whatever I want,” the Queen insisted.