Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/1520212
The most pressing nursing and health care issues often require national leadership and solutions. That is why California Nurses Association helped establish National Nurses United (NNU), the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of direct-care registered nurses in the country. At its founding convention in December 2009, NNU adopted a call for action premised on principles intended to counter the national assault by the health care industry on patient care condi- tions and standards for nurses, and to promote a unified vision of collective action for nurses. Since its founding in 2009, NNU has made spectacular achievements, including: » Organizing more than 30,000 RNs across the country. Nationally, NNU now represents nearly 225,000 RNs. » Sponsoring major national legislation to pro- mote comprehensive mandatory RN-to-patient ratios modeled on the successful California law sponsored by NNU affiliate CNA. » Fighting for workplace violence protections on all fronts, including collective bargaining, regulations, and legislation at the federal level, modeled on landmark 2014 California legisla- tion requiring all hospitals to have a workplace violence plan. » Advocating for nurses to have the education, training, and personal protective equipment we need and winning landmark mandatory infectious disease guidelines in California, and in collective bargaining agreements. » Playing a leading role as advocates of guaranteed health care by sponsoring national legislation to expand and improve Medicare for all people in the United States. » Creating the union's Social Justice and Equity Division to support nurses in taking action for racial, gender, economic, health care, and environmental justice with the goal of building a healthy and just world for all people. » Strengthening the voice and participation of RNs in electoral campaigns from coast to coast. 5 Who We Are About National Nurses United