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10 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 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4 Florida in the initial confusion of admitting a "rule out" Ebola patient on Oct. 16 at St. Petersburg General Hospital in Florida, RN Renee Dicostanza was floated to the unit with the patient and assigned to provide care without being given the equipment or training she needed. When she refused to take that risk, she was suspended. Her union, National Nurses Organizing Committee—Florida, filed a griev- ance on her behalf and fought successfully for her job. The hospital agreed to lift its suspen- sion, return Dicostanza to work, and make up her lost pay and other credited benefits. International taking advantage of a G20 meeting of world leaders in Brisbane, Australia on Nov. 13, the Queensland Nurses' Union hosted an International G20 Nursing Conference at which RN attendees demanded that govern- ments around the globe end austerity meas- ures that are destroying public health systems, step up to stop Ebola in West Africa and properly prepare in their own countries, provide universal healthcare for their resi- dents, and adopt Robin Hood Taxes on finan- cial transactions. The event was joined by many Global Nurses United registered nurs- es, including representatives from National Nurses United, the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, and the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives' Association. Nurses from the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives and the France-based Public Sector International (PSI) also attend- ed. A highlight of the event was a live online discussion with a frontline Liberian nurse and an ambulance officer during which they asked for immediate assistance from the G20 leaders to stop the dangerous and unaccept- able conditions under which they are caring for patients. "We need the world's help now to stop the spread of Ebola," said Laurene Wisseh, RN. "At the moment, we are sharing equipment, sometimes reusing disposable gloves, and in the worst-case scenario, using plastic bags to protect against Ebola." The National Private Sector Health Workers' Union of Liberia issued a statement saying, "We support all of our colleagues the world over via Global Nurses United as they demonstrate to the world the direct connec- tion between government austerity plans around the world, devastation of public healthcare systems, war (particularly in West Africa), and the inadequacy of dealing with pandemics. We…join our colleagues around the world as they demand that the G20 lead- ers deal with these health issues responsibly as they meet on 13 November in Brisbane." National as part of preparations for bargaining with their employer Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) next year, 56 union nurse negotiators elected to 17 committees across five states met on Oct. 15 in Tampa, Fla. to evaluate current issues and develop strate- gies and goals. This HCA National Leader- ship Council directed all leadership councils to review grievance logs for suggested contract proposals, and professional practice committees to review their experiences with contract staffing language. They also discussed outreach to community, church, and labor allies. The national council meets next on Jan. 13. —Staff report WRAP-UP REPORT From top left clockwise: With the help of NNOC- Florida, RN Renee Dicostanza was reinstated to her job after she was suspended for refusing to treat a possible Ebola patient without proper protective equipment and training; Global Nurses United RNs at the International G20 Nursing Conference in Australia; the HCA national leader- ship council strategizes for 2015 bargaining.