On April 30, 2013, INA Officers sent an open letter to Vice President for Operations, Dr. Bryan Becker, to express serious concerns relating to the widespread crackdown on incidental overtime. The letter challenged the “administration’s recent undue emphasis on overtime and the threats of reprisal for incurring overtime emanating from nurse managers,” and was intended to serve as the opening of dialogue on an issue nurses believe is interfering with patient care. Dr. Becker issued a letter professing openness to dialogue, but actions speak louder than words: On June 19, 2013, 7W Organ Transplant Nurse Reyna Orozco was issued a verbal counseling by Katie Pyne and Yolanda Coleman for “present[ing] in an unprofessional manner in projecting your communication in relation to intimidating management/incidental overtime and speaking your mind” during a Clinical Practice Committee meeting that same day. Witnesses challenge the description of her conduct as anything other than professional. She was subsequently removed from the committee. The message is loud and clear: “Speaking your mind” about patient safety is grounds for discipline. We, the undersigned, condemn retaliation for this nurses’ courage to raise concerns and engage in protected concerted activity related to the overtime letter. We condemn any and all forms of management intimidation and retaliation. We believe that this violates the UIMC Code of Conduct by creating an intimidating, demeaning, and abusive workplace that undermines patient safety and teamwork. We call on the UIMC administration to take the following corrective action: 1) Remove the verbal warning from the Nurse Orozco’s record, and restore her standing in the committee; 2) Issue a formal, written apology to Nurse Orozco from Katie Pyne, Yolanda Coleman, and Barbara Washington; 3) Cease and Desist in unnecessary and dangerous overtime practices previously outlined in our open letter, and undertake efforts to educate members of the administration on preventing an intimidating, demeaning, and abusive workplace; 4) Remove the manager who brought these charges forward, Barbara Washington, from the Clinical Practice Committee.