Emma Goldman would be Proud
L.A. Times:

OAKLAND — Her name is Rose Ann DeMoro, but in Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's office she might be better known as Trouble.

DeMoro is the 56-year-old, Missouri-born, Bruce Springsteen-loving executive director of the California Nurses Assn., a 60,000-member labor union that has led the fight against much of Schwarzenegger's policy agenda. In David-vs.-Goliath fashion, the battle appears to be going DeMoro's way. [snip]

In the face-off with Schwarzenegger, the association has staged about 40 attention-grabbing demonstrations up and down the state and as far away as Ohio, where sign-waving nurses tailed him to a bodybuilding exhibition. The protesters have railed primarily against his attempts to block an association-sponsored law that requires more nurses in California hospitals.

The union contends that Schwarzenegger has gone after the law at the behest of the hospital industry. The governor has said a nursing shortage prevents hospitals from meeting the ratios.

Another target of the demonstrations has been his bid to privatize pensions for public workers, including nurses employed by the state.

Schwarzenegger has withdrawn the pension proposal. And an appellate court has upheld a Sacramento judge's injunction suspending the governor's order derailing the new nurse-to-patient ratios. The union's lawsuit to permanently invalidate the order is pending.

It may have been unions representing firefighters, police officers and teachers that forced Schwarzenegger to retreat on the pension measure. But DeMoro supporters and critics — and she has plenty of the latter — agree her association took the lead. The tide turned when Schwarzenegger egged on the nurses, and [DeMoro] unleashed her fervor for street-level activism. [snip]

Outside the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco recently, DeMoro was in her element as the association and other unions picketed a Schwarzenegger fundraiser. Springsteen's "Born in the USA" blared from loudspeakers. Overhead, a plane hired by the union trailed a banner that read "Arnold: California Is Not For Sale." Slogans on placards referred to allegations that Schwarzenegger had groped unwilling women in the past.

Demonstrators clogged the streets in every direction, hurling insults at well-dressed contributors arriving at the fundraiser: "Corporate scum! Shame on you!"

Nurses at the protest spoke glowingly of DeMoro. "She's actually my hero," said Deborah Burger, a Santa Rosa nurse who is the elected president of the association.

Jenny McGrane, a San Francisco nurse, said DeMoro is a "very positive public voice" for the union.

DeMoro says the union's triumphs flow from the crusade-like resolve of its 30 part-time directors, all working nurses, as well as a "women's culture" that emphasizes collaboration, rather than competition, within the association hierarchy. The membership is more than 90% female.

DeMoro brands Schwarzenegger a "bullying" sexist. "I think he sees women as completely subservient," she said.

Go read the whole thing. She rocks. Damn, those California women (you go, Barbara Boxer!) have been on a roll lately. Some of the Dems could take a page from their book, and learn how to be a freaking opposition party. All you need are some ovaries.
- posted by TJ @ 4:37 PM