Nurses Association Carries Political Clout

  ASSIGNMENT 7

Oct. 2 - KGO (KGO) -- At a time when many labor unions seem to be losing clout, one is emerging more powerful than ever. A look at the California Nurses Association and how it's driving change in state politics.

They are the dominant voice at many political rallies -- the voice behind Proposition 89 which could dramatically change California campaign financing. But usually you are more likely to find these political activists at your bedside than on the street.

The 70,000-member California Nurses Association only represents about a quarter of all nurses in the state, but they've been able to take on the governor like few other unions.

Harley Shaiken, UC Berkeley: "The California Nurses Association has become pivotal in California politics."

Professor Harley Shaiken is an expert in labor and politics relations at UC Berkeley. He says the nurses have really taken advantage of their power in the last decade.

Harley Shaiken: "The nurses have been very innovative, very bold; capitalized on the public respect for nurses and used that very skillfully."

No one is more aware of the political power wielded by nurses than Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He's taken on the nurses twice and lost both times.

The nurses union sued Schwarzenegger when he tried to make them care for more patients at once. New regulations required one nurse for every five patients, instead of one to six. The governor claimed it would be too expensive and wanted to postpone the increase for four years.

Deborah Burger, RN, California Nurses Association: "The nurses job doesn't just stop at the hospital door."

Deborah Burger is president of the California Nurses Association and an RN at Kaiser in Santa Rosa.

Deborah Burger: "We were told we couldn't win when we went out to take him on. We were told that we were crazy that we were fringe, a fringe group."

Burger was one of the nurses who used an unorthodox method to get their message out. They followed the governor everywhere he went -- to eight states, holding 107 rallies.

Deborah Burger: "We had to do it because it was one of those things that we had to do, because our patients' lives were at stake."

The governor fired back, trying to position nurses as a "special interest."

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, (R) California: "The special interests just don't like me in Sacramento because I am always kicking their butts."

But in reality, it was the governor who was taking the brunt of the assault.

Nurse: "We finally kicked his butt."

The nurses won the court battle and with that victory became a political powerhouse.

Harley Shaiken: "People think if they support nurses, then they support healthcare and their loved ones."

With that new found power they took on the governor's special "reform" election last November -- defeating him on every initiative.

Harley Shaiken: "Governor Schwarzenegger learned a very hard lesson. He went after the nurses -- aggressively -- he paid a very high price politically."

Now nurses are hoping to use their clout to tackle campaign financing. They put Proposition 89 on the November ballot. The initiative will raise taxes on corporations to fund candidates running for state office. Political analysts suspect the nurses are on a roll and may change the course of future California elections this November.

Written and produced by Ken Miguel.

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