ATHERTON, Calif. (KCBS) More than a thousand unionized nurses gathered outside the Bay Area home of GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman on Thursday afternoon, protesting her proposals for the state, which they say will hurt working people.
The California Nurses Association has been locked in an escalating feud with Whitman, trailing her at events with an actress dressed as “Queen Meg” and accusing her of trying to buy the race.
The former eBay CEO has fired back, mailing letters and fliers to nurses’ homes, urging them not to believe their Democratically aligned union leaders.
Members of the CNA are vowing to defend key patient safety regulations and the ability of registered nurses to advocate for patients in public.
Zenei Cortez, the president of the California Nurses Association said Whitman has disrespected nurses.
“She has chosen to ask for our names and our addresses and our phone numbers,” said Cortez. “And she has flooded us with junk email, a phony poll and phone surveys.”
Cortez said Whitman is trying to silence their criticism of her campaign proposals, which the CNA said would harm California families.
Not to be outdone, Whitman was in Southern California on Thursday and made sure to have nurses who supported her position at her campaign event.
