I'm pasting in our press release, below, but also wanted to just say thanks to all those of you who have joined us in the fight to end mandatory overtime for health care workers in PA--the grassroots pressure that was provided by our progressive allies, along with the voices of thousands of health care workers--finally lifted our bill over the time, in the final days of this legislative session.

(HARRISBURG, PA) – Seven years after launching their campaign to end mandatory overtime for nurses and other direct patient caregivers, members of SEIU Healthcare are anxious to celebrate their victory.

The Pennsylvania Senate voted unanimously on Tuesday to pass a House Bill 834, a bill restricting mandatory overtime for nurses and other caregivers. Forced overtime has been shown to increase medical errors and put patients at risk. It’s also a leading factor in many nurses’ decision to leave the bedside.

“This is a major step forward for nurses and patients across Pennsylvania,” said Kathy Magaro, RN, Coordinator of the SEIU Nurse Alliance of Pennsylvania. “We know that we’re on the verge of winning this legislation because of the strength of our union and the support of nurses and healthcare workers speaking out.”

Several dozen members of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, registered nurses, certified nursing assistants, and other health care professionals crowded the gallery to witness the Senate’s vote.

“This bill will make patients safer, make nursing safer, and make our health care system safer,” said Neal Bisno, President of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania. “That’s something we’re all very proud of.”

Nurses, nurses’ assistants, and other direct patient caregivers, members of the state’s largest union of health care workers, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, have been lobbying for the ban on mandatory overtime and working with proponents of this legislation like Senator Christine Tartaglione, who has helped lead the fight on this important issue since 2001.

The passage of this bill will make it the first piece of legislation passed in years that protects nurses and patients and marks a huge step forward for nurses and their union. The House of Representatives, which passed an earlier version of the legislation last year, has scheduled a vote on final passage, or “concurrence,” for Wednesday, after which the bill will go to Governor Rendell, who has pledged to sign it into law.

SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania is the Commonwealth’s largest and fastest-growing union of nurses and other health care workers, representing over 20,000 members in hospitals, nursing homes, home care, and state health facilities. For more information go to: www.seiuhealthcarepa.org.

The Nurse Alliance of Pennsylvania is an affiliate of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, uniting over 10,000 nurses across Pennsylvania in our commitment to provide the safest and highest quality of care for our patients and the public we serve. For more information visit: www.NurseAlliancePA.org.