National Nurses United

M AY | J U N E 2 0 1 8 W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G N A T I O N A L N U R S E 11 I n a powerful rn union like National Nurses United, our collec- tive voice protects us against employer retaliation when we chal- lenge unsafe staffing and cuts to patient services. We know that this big, unified national voice is the source of our power—and so do our employers. They will do anything to divide us, hoping to achieve conditions where they do not have to be held account- able. That brings us to Janus v. AFSCME, a critical Supreme Court case decided in June. You can read more about the case on page 4. In summary, it attempts to cripple public workers' unions by encouraging employees, who already had the right to opt out of full membership, to not chip in anything at all toward a union's cost to represent them. And although Janus applies to public workers, it should concern all nurses and all workers, because it sets the stage for a future federal case to undermine all unions. Janus was written, funded, and designed by billionaires and corporate executives determined to undermine the collective power of workers who challenge them. They want to eliminate all protec- tions on public health and safety: in health care; on environmental pollution; on food, air, and water safety; and workplace safety standards—because those protections infringe on their bottom line. The collective voice of union workers is a major barrier to their unfettered profits, and so they try to silence us. And as the saying goes, "silence is deadly." Janus is based on so-called "right to work" laws in 28 U.S. states. In those states, house- hold incomes are more than $8,000 less, people under 65 are 46 percent more likely to be uninsured, life expectancy rates are lower, and infant mortality rates are 12 percent higher, and workplace fatalities are far higher. But there is a silver lining, even when corporations feel emboldened to undermine working people. Our resilience comes from knowing that the power to stick together belongs to us. Nurses, along with workers across the country, cannot be conquered if we refuse to be divided. From advocating for protections against extremely high rates of workplace violence and infectious diseases, to pushing back against being saddled with so many patients at once that we cannot possibly provide the care they deserve (or even take a break to eat a meal or use the restroom), we know that our collective action, through our union, turns up the volume on our voice to the point where our employers have no choice but to listen. So Janus or no Janus, we will stay union strong, letting our employers know: NURS- ES WILL NEVER BE SILENCED. RNs have already proven that we will continue to stand together, loud and proud, in the face of this corporate attack. The day the Janus decision came down, thousands of nurses all across the U.S. stood united, together, to show that, "We remain union strong!" Across more than two dozen NNU public-sector facilities nationally, from the District of Columbia, to Minnesota, to Cali- fornia, and beyond, nurses rallied, stickered- up, leafleted, and spoke to colleagues and community members about how a strong union gives nurses a voice to advocate for quality patient care. Nurses also held press conferences in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Bernardino, Sacramento, San Diego, and Chicago, and hundreds turned out with just hours' notice. No anti-worker attack can put a crack in our union solidarity. We are moving ahead at full power, more united than ever for our patients and our coworkers. We're doing this by talking to our union sisters and brothers about the importance of staying union strong and urging all nurses and other workers to join a strong union, like NNU, to protect their rights, and improve health and safety for nurses, patients and the public. We are also calling on nurses to contact our elected leaders to demand they reverse the dangerous, undemocratic Janus ruling and instead pass the Workplace Democracy Act, introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders, which would strengthen the ability of work- ers to form unions and for state legislators to act to protect workers' rights. Nurses never give up on our patients, and we won't give up on the public, or on one another. Corporate forces may be hoping for a divide-and-conquer strategy, but here's what working people must always remem- ber: When we stand together, they have already lost. When we stand together, we win. Bonnie Castillo, RN is executive director of National Nurses United. Bonnie Castillo, RN Executive Director, National Nurses United RNs Remain Union Strong Anti-worker Janus case cannot divide us Our resilience comes from knowing that the power to stick together belongs to us. Nurses, along with workers across the country, cannot be conquered if we refuse to be divided.

• Cover