LONG BEACH, Calif., Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Nurses Association, along with local teachers and other working women, will lead protests against Arnold Schwarzenegger’s upcoming special election outside of the corporate-sponsored Governor’s Conference on Women this Thursday, October 27th.
What: RNs Rally to Stop Arnold Where: Long Beach Convention Center, Pine @ Bay When: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 27 Press Conference: 8 a.m. Rally: 10 a.m. Additional protests subject to last minute changes.
Last year’s Governor’s Conference on Women marked what many viewed as a turning point in public perception of Schwarzenegger after he dismissed nurses protesting roll back of patient safety standards as “special interests” and he boasted that he was “always kicking their butts.”
Following that remark, nurses across the state began a series of protests, targeting the governor’s almost-daily fundraising from large corporate interests. Nurses were also eventually joined by teachers, firefighters, and a broad spectrum of the public.
“Schwarzenegger has a history of arrogant and offensive behavior towards women and has extended that by attacking female-dominated professions, including nurses and teachers,” said Deborah Burger, RN, President of the California Nurses Association.
“Widespread public outcry against Schwarzenegger’s policies ignited at this very convention last year, and we are here again to encourage Californians to vote NO in November -- to turn out and vote NO on all of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s corporate-backed propositions.”
CNA said it will also contrast the role of RNs, real working women and men who overwhelmingly oppose Schwarzenegger’s policies, with the corporate-sponsored convention.
This year’s event is sponsored by many of Schwarzenegger’s closest corporate backers, such as Ameriquest, Safeway, PG&E, and Merck, and also includes a number of new corporate allies, including British Petroleum, Northrup Grumman, and Raytheon. “Schwarzenegger is using the event and the participants as props to support his package of initiatives that are intended to hand more power to the governor and his corporate backers at the expense of nurses and other Californians,” said Burger.
California Nurses Association
CONTACT: Shum Preston, +1-510-273-3376, or Charles Idelson,+1-510-273-2246, both for California Nurses Association
Web site: http://www.calnurses.org/
