FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 4, 2000
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Joan Meehan-Hurwitz, 202-651-7020
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ANA Condemns Actions By Renegade Group In Massachusetts
Washington, DC -- Leaders of the American Nurses Association (ANA) have expressed outrage over Friday’s actions by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) Board of Directors in firing staff members and claiming to appoint new, like-minded board members in the place of duly elected members who opposed their view of splitting from the national organization. ANA leaders condemned such strong-arm tactics, saying some MNA board members are unwilling to live by the outcome of their own democratic, membership process conducted less than a month ago.
Members of the Labor Relations Cabinet had proposed a bylaws change that called for the state organization to disaffiliate from ANA. The bylaws change required a two-thirds vote and each member of MNA was eligible to vote at the general business meeting held on Nov. 9. Those pushing to disaffiliate were unsuccessful in getting the votes needed and, in fact, lost the vote twice, having called a vote to reconsider after the first vote went against them.
“The general membership’s will has been overturned by a small group who is unwilling to live with the outcome of its own democratic process,” said ANA President Mary E. Foley, MSN, RN. “Their tactics are right from the play book of union-busters – trample the rights of those who disagree with your view of the world. I think most MNA members will find this takeover outrageous and not in the best interests of nurses.”
During the first meeting of a new board of directors on Dec. 1, the MNA board fired the executive director and other staff members for no apparent reason and subsequently claimed to appoint a new president, officers and board members to fill spots already filled by individuals who were recently and duly elected by the membership.
“Although this group says they are acting on behalf of the membership, they have produced no evidence to support that claim,” said Foley. “In fact, we have polling data that shows that a majority of the membership favors remaining affiliated with ANA. Such tactics are the actions of a desperate group, who want to win at all costs, with little regard to the will of any of the members including the collective bargaining members they claim to represent.”
ANA plans to challenge the MNA’s latest actions and will continue to work with a group of MNA members who are part of the Committee to Preserve ANA Affiliation.
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The American Nurses Association is the only full-service professional organization representing the nation's 2.6 million Registered Nurses through its 54 constituent associations. ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.
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