Hundreds Attend First 1199SEIU LPN Conference
Some 550 Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) gathered at a New York City hotel May 24 for the first ever LPN Conference hosted by 1199SEIU’s LPN Council. The Conference has been a goal of the Council since its founding in June of 2004.
 “This is history in the making. It’s wonderful to know we can unite as a whole,” said Council Treasurer Maxine Brown, an LPN at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital’s Crotona Park Family Clinic in New York City. “Our brothers and sisters from all over are here today and it’s wonderful to see that we share the same issues.”
Attendees included LPNs from New York, Massachusetts and the Maryland-Washington D.C. area, as well as a special delegation of Canadian LPNs. The conference included a 2-credit continuing education seminar and workshops on a variety of topics. Major issues for LPNs include stagnant wages, scope of practice issues and changing care settings.
Guest speaker Donna Brazile, who was the first African American to manage a national campaign when she headed Al Gore’s bid for the presidency in 2000, lauded the LPN’s dedication to their profession.
“As a child that grew up at the intersection of race and poverty, where poverty decides your life,” said Brazile. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the leadership of people like you.”
“I’m so inspired,” said Debra Kilbrew-Montes, an LPN at Manhattan’s Kateri residence, of the conference. “It’s made us feel involved, like we’re an integral part of the healthcare system.”
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