SEIU and Iowa for Health Care Help Raise Nurse Wages Statewide.

By Iowans for Health Care

SEIU Local 199 and Iowa for Health Care are holding a Press
Conference at the UI Hospitals and Clinics on Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at
Noon. The Press Conference is to highlight a new bill that will bring
wage increases to nurses across the state. Speakers include SEIU Iowa
President Cathy Glasson, SEIU Iowa Political Director Sarah Swisher,
and State Senator Bob Dvorsky.

On
the last day of Iowa's legislative session, the Iowa House and Senate
passed a historic bill that earmarks this year's Medicaid provider
reimbursement increase to boost nurse wages across the state. This
one-percent Medicaid provider reimbursement increase could mean $4.2
million for Iowa's RNs, translating to hundreds of dollars per nurse.

Beginning
to raise nurse wages is a needed step toward solving the state's
drastic nurse shortage. At the rate we are going, Iowa is set to have a
shortfall of 9,100 RNs by 2020, leaving a 27 percent shortage. Passing
this bill proves that Iowa is ready to take on the issue that hits our
nurses the hardest: wages. Iowa's nurses are the lowest wage earners of
any state in the country, ranking 52nd in the country, also behind
Washington D.C. and Guam.

“While
hundreds a year is not a huge pay increase, this bill shows that nurses
and policymakers can initiate change that will lead to the recruitment
and retention of quality nurses in our state.  I
am proud that SEIU led this charge and that members and not yet union
members are being rewarded,” said SEIU Iowa president and national
nurse leader Cathy Glasson.

WHAT:  Press Conference to highlight bill that will bring statewide raises in nurse wages.

WHEN:  Noon  –  Tuesday, May 6, 2008

WHERE:  Grassy area outside near Main Entrance of UI Hospitals and Clinics

WHO:  Cathy Singer-Glasson, President of SEIU Iowa, RN

          Sarah Swisher, Political Director of SEIU Iowa, RN

          Bob Dvorsky, State Senator from Coralville

          Pat Murphy, Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives

Iowa for Health Care is uniting nurses and other citizens who are concerned about the skyrocketing cost of health care.  As
part of Americans for Health Care – a project of SEIU, the nation's
largest health care union – we are working to secure quality,
affordable health care for every man, woman, and child in America.