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International ambassador and actor Bill Nighy, NNU marched
with thousands of other union members and activists to protest
the G-20's failure to address global human needs at a time when
multinational corporations are wealthier than ever. By some estimates, the biggest non-financial U.S. corporations are sitting on at
least $2.5 trillion and more in cash.
"I'm incredibly proud of the nurses internationally for their global advocacy for their patients and society," said RoseAnn DeMoro,
executive director of National Nurses United. "The nurses don't ever
give up on people and we won't give up on this cause."
Other groups said they appreciated the nurses' leadership in calling for an FTT. "Thank you to the trade unions and to the nurses for
this very powerful message," said Elise Buckle, World Wildlife Fund
international policy advisor. "The financial transaction tax is a question of survival for the world's poorest people."
Stateside, NNU held a massive march and rally in Washington,
D.C. where nurses picketed the White House and the U.S. Treasury
Department, urging President Obama to "tax Timmy's friends,"
referring to treasury department secretary Timothy Geithner and
the banking and financial officials he counts among his inner circle.
Geithner has lobbied here in the United States and abroad against
an FTT. Ralph Nader, veteran consumer crusader, addressed the
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