Convention News – Nov/Dec’10 Voice

December 2010

Ken Deitz Elected President of UNAC/UHCP as Founder Kathy J. Sackman Retires

The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) Officers, Staff, and Delegates met in Las Vegas, Nevada to celebrate the retirement of founder Kathy J. Sackman, RN

and to plot the course for the future. The 34th Biennial Convention from November 7-10, 2010 had a record number of delegates – over 620 – and included a banquet honoring longtime President Sackman who is retiring at the end of this year.

Ken Deitz, RN, currently serving as Executive Vice President, was elected the next President of UNAC/UHCP. Ken has been a key member of our leadership team for over two decades. A tough and tenacious negotiator, Ken has been a leader in bargaining almost every UNAC/UHCP contract during the last 18 years.

Barbara Blake, RN, was re-elected as UNAC/UHCP State Secretary, and will continue her groundbreaking work advancing our organization’s name in the legislative and political world. Barbara began working for UNAC/UHCP in 1986 as a staff representative for UNAC/UHCP affiliates.

Elections were also held for one open seat on the Board of Directors left by retiring Board member Fred Tinamisan, RN. UNAC/UHCP would like to thank Fred for his years of service to our organization. Helen Bouman, RN was elected to fill Fred’s seat, and Scott Byington, RN, Tim Uliasz, RN, and Mary Cavanaugh, OD were re-elected.

Consisting of three days of training sessions, continuing education courses, and updates on the state of the union, the Convention included a banquet to honor retiring President Kathy Sackman that brought down the house. Dozens of labor leaders from around the country came to pay tribute to the woman who started it all, with stories that left few dry eyes in the room. One particular story told by Labor leader Henry Bayer concerned a crying pregnant woman who found Kathy outside a difficult negotiation with an employer who was about to lay her off. Kathy reportedly told the woman “stop crying, go in the bathroom, clean yourself up, and let me do all the talking.”

Years later, Bayer was witness to this woman meeting Kathy again for the first time. She told the story of their first meeting and said, “You probably don’t remember me, but you spoke for me many years ago. You did all the talking. I didn’t get laid off. Thank you so much.”