UNAC/UHCP President Charmaine Morales, RN, has made union growth a cornerstone of her work. Her inclusive leadership style began when she was a night shift nurse and continues to this day as she strengthens her commitment to being a voice for those who feel invisible.
In 2015, Morales incorporated a member engagement program unionwide. Membership Matters, the UNAC/UHCP AFSCME Strong program, is the foundation of the union’s leadership and growth initiatives. The union has launched a Membership Matters Academy to train union activists in a residency program. Morales built upon her Membership Matters work in 2018 in Hawaii, where she created a new chapter from the ground up. As a result of her leadership and strategic vision, other health care professionals in Hawaii have been motivated to join UNAC/UHCP.
Morales is the first woman of color to serve as UNAC/UHCP president. She is also the union’s first Mexican-American and Filipina president. After the Black Lives Matter protests erupted across the country in 2021, she sponsored a new racial and social justice committee for UNAC/UHCP, which led to the creation of the union’s Alexis G. Philius Scholarship for students of Black/African descent pursuing health care careers. She serves as a vice president of the Los Angeles Labor Council, vice president of the California Labor Federation, secretary-treasurer of the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees (NUHHCE), and vice president of Highly Favored: A Blessing to Others, a community group dedicated to unselfish giving to the unhoused in Southern California.