National Nurses United

8 N A T I O N A L N U R S E 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 J U LY | A U G U S T | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 3 NEWS BRIEFS NATIONAL R egistered nurses with National Nurses Organizing Committee/ National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU) at the Veterans Health Administration are pleased to announce that the union and Secretary for Veterans Affairs Denis Richard McDonough have signed a three-year contract which cov- ers more than 14,000 VA RNs at 23 hospitals. "We are pleased that this protracted process is finally over and this agreement is signed," said NNOC/NNU-VA Chair Irma Westmore- land, RN. "We must now keep our sleeves rolled up to tackle the understaffing conditions our nurses are facing across the country. We look forward to working with Secretary McDo- nough to implement alternative work schedule flexibilities that will retain nurses and improve staffing levels for veterans." The NNOC/NNU negotiating team, Durham VA nurses, and members of the VA administration, including Secretary McDonough, were on hand to sign the con- tract on May 25, in Durham, N.C. Nurses note this contract was negotiated before the Covid pandemic began and that multiple issues have arisen throughout the pandemic and need to be addressed in a timely manner. "Throughout the pandemic, VA nurses have worked tirelessly in extremely difficult conditions to provide care for the sickest of the sick," said Westmoreland. "While provid- ing this care, we have had to fight for optimal personal protective equipment, appropriate training and staffing, notification and testing following exposures, and proper infection controls. This has put us, our families, and our patients unnecessarily at risk. We hope the signing of this contract marks the begin- ning of a new era of renewed respect for the rights and lives of the nurses who advocate and care for our nation's heroes." The nurses are calling on Congress to pass the VA Employee Fairness Act, which would give nurses and other clinical health care professionals in the VA full collective bargaining rights. Currently, nurses and other health care professionals are limited in their ability to speak out about poor working conditions and to bargain and resolve disputes with management. "As registered nurses, we have a duty to advocate for our veteran patients and to speak out when understaffing and other manage- ment decisions delay or otherwise negatively impact patient care," said Monica Coleman, RN at James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC). "But unlike nurses in other union facilities, including even the Depart- ment of Defense nurses who work side-by-side with us at FHCC, our rights to bargain for patient care improvements are restricted in the VA." —Rachel Berger VA registered nurses sign three-year contract NATIONAL F ederal legislation supported by National Nurses United (NNU) had a banner week in May when nurses participated in a town hall in support of Medicare for All with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) at the U.S. Capitol Visi- tor Center in Washington, D.C. Nurses were also in attendance at press conferences when Sen. Sanders, Rep. Jayapal, and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced Medicare for All legislation in Congress on May 17 and when the FAMILY Act was introduced, guaranteeing paid family and medical leave to all workers. "Tens of millions of Americans have no health insurance or are underinsured," said Nancy Hagans, RN and a member of NNU's Council of Presidents. "The pandemic underscored the dire costs when people can- not access quality, therapeutic health care. This is why we need Medicare for All." The Medicare for All bill has 112 original cosponsors in the House and 14 original cosponsors in the Senate. NNU has long supported Medicare for All in order to achieve guaranteed health care for every person living in the United States. "In my 35 years working as a nurse, I've seen a lot of patients suffer because they didn't have health insurance," said Hagans at the Medicare for All town hall. "I've seen a lot of people forced to choose between taking their medications and putting food on the table. The current system discriminates based on your ability to pay, what kind of job you have, or if you have a job at all. It's a disgrace. As a nurse for more than three decades, I know without any doubt—we must have Medicare for All." The FAMILY Act, sponsored by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Rosa DeLauro would establish the first national paid family and medical leave program in the country, ensuring that every worker has access to paid leave for every serious medical event, each time it is needed. The bill calls for 12 weeks of paid leave. The Healthy Families Act, sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, allows workers in busi- nesses with 15 or more employees to earn seven job protected paid sick days each year. "Nobody should have to choose between their own health or the health of their loved ones, and their livelihood," said Jean Ross, RN and a member of NNU's Council of Presidents. —Chuleenan Svetvilas Medicare for All and FAMILY Act introduced

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