Cheryl Johnson, RN, was one of the most remarkable leaders and activists of her generation.
In 1999, at a time when unions were under massive attack, Johnson and other courageous nurses defied the odds and created a new union, the United American Nurses. Its mission was to be a vigorous, nationwide, independent voice for staff nurses. They knew this mission would not be easy to accomplish — but with energy, intelligence, tenacity, and hard work, they have built a great union. At the time of Johnson's death last October, the UAN had grown to 117,000 nurse members with 27 state affiliates.
Cheryl Johnson was a founding mother of the UAN, its first and only president until her passing. Her name became a synonym for each of the important causes the UAN fought for on behalf of its members—from resolving the staffing crisis in American nursing to reducing musculoskeletal injuries and needle-sticks on the job. She strongly believed health care is a right for all rather than a revenue stream for a handful of large corporations, and she led her union at the forefront of the battle for high quality health care for all.
She was a powerful inspiration to millions of working women.
Johnson not only worked full time as a critical care nurse for 37 years at the University of Michigan Health Care Systems in Ann Arbor, she served her own local union as president. When the UAN was formed, she and other UAN leaders knew from the start that solidarity with the AFL-CIO would be indispensable for her union's members. It was only a year after its first National Labor Assembly that she guided the UAN to affiliation with the AFL-CIO.
Elected to the AFL-CIO Executive Council in 2001, Johnson was the first RN to serve on that governing body. She also served on the AFL-CIO Executive Committee.
We grieve the loss of Cheryl Johnson. We miss the insight, common sense and enthusiasm she brought to the Executive Council; and we honor the legacy she left us all, the United American Nurses.