Elizabeth Hawkins, RN

“I’ve been a nurse for 40 years, 31 of those in the emergency department. As a nursing student, I had done clinicals at Fonana, was hired at Riverside, and worked per diem at a local community hospital to stay afloat in the transition to Kaiser. Eventually, I let the other job go and stayed at Kaiser. The difference was clear. Even with low seniority, the environment was better. I became active in the union early on, serving as a unit-based team co-lead and doing partnership work.”

“Then, in January 2013. I was assaulted by a patient. I had a concussion and other issues. Six months later, the same thing happened to another nurse. That’s when I knew something had to change. I testified at Cal/OSHA in Sacramento. That experience ignited something in me. I dove deeper into union work, became a contract specialist, and started mentoring officers.”

- Elizabeth Hawkins, UNAC/UHCP