PRESS RELEASE: UNAC/UHCP Elects New Leaders to Guide Future of Largest Southern California Nurses Union

May 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2013

CONTACT: Christy McConville
909-451-3581

UNAC/UHCP Elects New Leaders to Guide Future of Largest Southern California Nurses Union

San Dimas, CA—The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) elected three new officers on May 18 to shape the future of the over 22,000-person union.

Executive Vice President Denise Duncan, RN, State Secretary Charmaine Morales, RN, and State Treasurer Jettie Deden-Castillo, NP, will help to set the course of the union, under the direction of UNAC/UHCP President Ken Deitz, RN. UNAC/UHCP represents nurses and other health care professionals in all Kaiser facilities from Bakersfield to San Diego, as well as several other hospitals including Balboa Naval Regional Medical Center in San Diego, Beverly Hospital in Montebello, Lakewood Regional Medical Center in Lakewood, Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Garden Grove Medical Center in Garden Grove, Parkview Community Hospital Medical Center in Riverside, St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, the Sharp Hospital system in San Diego, and Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Administration Healthcare System in Loma Linda.

UNAC/UHCP’s newly elected Executive Vice President, Denise Duncan, has a long history with the union, first as an activist, then affiliate officer, and finally union staff representative. She’s participated in nearly all the Kaiser negotiations in the past 20 years, assisted our organizing department on the Tenet and NUHHCE organizing drives, and met with the Governor and testified at the Board of Registered Nursing in the successful campaign to pass the state’s historic staffing ratio law.

Charmaine Morales, an RN from the Kaiser South Bay affiliate, takes the reins as UNAC/UHCP’s new State Secretary. Charmaine has had a storied run at her local, growing the steward program by 500% and developing a political program. Her biggest accomplishment was pulling together a 700 person picket at Kaiser South Bay after Reduction in Force notices were given out to 70 employees there.

UNAC/UHCP’s new State Treasurer, Jettie Deden-Castillo, NP, is an active affiliate officer who represented her affiliate at UNAC/UHCP’s governing body, the Executive Council. Jettie helped to organize her facility during a drive targeted at specialty care nurses, Certified Nurse-Midwives, and Wound Ostomy nurses.

UNAC/UHCP President Ken Deitz, RN, said of the historic election, “UNAC/UHCP is committed to empowering all nurses and health care professionals. I look forward to contributions from the new officers to advance our most important work—improving our members’ ability to advocate for their patients.”

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United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) is the largest nurses’ union in Southern California representing over 22,000 Registered Nurses and other health care professionals, including Optometrists; Pharmacists; Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists; Nurse Midwives; Social Workers; Clinical Lab Scientists; Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners. UNAC/UHCP is affiliated with the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO.