UNAC/UHCP’s 34th Convention Opens with President’s Retirement
November 2010
The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) opened its 34th Convention today at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada. During the opening address, long time UNAC/UHCP President and founder Kathy J. Sackman, RN announced her retirement.
Sackman recounted the organization’s origins in 1972 with Balboa Naval Hospital, Los Alamitos Hospital, Kaiser Fontana and McDonald Douglass implant nurses, who were jointly dissatisfied with their existing representation. Beginning as a group of 117 members, UNAC/UHCP now represents almost 19,000 Registered Nurses and Health Care Professionals.
“We have always been professional but we fight hard and we fight fair, even when we are challenged by those who are less honorable,” stated Sackman during the opening ceremonies. “We have always held ourselves to a higher standard.
During Sackman’s 38 years at UNAC/UHCP and 33 as President, UNAC/UHCP members were responsible for many first time union-related activities and union wins. UNAC/UHCP was the first Southern California registered nurses’ association to strike, and the first registered nurses union to win every other weekend off for its membership.
“I am confident that this union will continue to do great things for our members,” commented Sackman.
The three-day Convention will consist of continuing education for UNAC/UHCP members, reports of the union’s activities over the past two years and opportunities to network with fellow health care professionals.
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The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals is the largest nurses union in Southern California and represents registered nurses and other health care professionals. UNAC/UHCP, as the association is known, is affiliated with the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO. For more information on UNAC/UHCP, visit www.unacuhcp.org.