National Nurses United

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 5 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 7 NATIONAL I n late october, some 150 elected RN delegates of National Nurses United gathered at their triennial convention to pass a number of resolutions that artic- ulate the social and economic justice priori- ties of the organization's nurse members—particularly their support of Sen. Bernie Sanders in his bid for the presidency of the United States. "It is a magnificent moment in history for this organization and this agenda," said RoseAnn DeMoro, executive director of NNU and CNA/NNOC. "While a lot of other unions just fall in line behind the establishment, we are the ones who are going to change the world." The meeting, held in New Orleans to commemorate Hurricane Katrina's 10th anniversary, kicked off with a video greeting from Sanders in which he praised NNU as one of the country's leading unions and gave special thanks to registered nurses for their work and support of his campaign. "There is no job in this country that is more demanding, more important, and more fulfilling than being a nurse," said Sanders. "You take care of our children when they get sick, you take care of our patients in their time of need, you take care of our veterans when they come home from war." (The video can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/143471247) Both the video and the convention reso- lution affirming NNU's endorsement of Sanders prompted a standing ovation and moving testimony by nurses. "I am incredi- bly proud, for the first time in my whole life, that there is finally a candidate speaking to the values I've held my whole life," said Katy Roemer, a California RN and NNU vice president. "I hope everyone will work as hard as they can to elect Bernie. You don't get second chances on these kinds of things." Sanders' campaign platform has resonat- ed with many registered nurses, cutting across party lines. "I want to tell everyone here that I am a Republican," said NNU-VA chair Irma Westmoreland, RN. "I have voted Republican my whole life. This is the first time I am going to vote for a Democratic president, because he is for nurses' values." RN delegates also passed resolutions reaffirming the union's longstanding support for winning an expanded Medicare for all; a Robin Hood Tax on Wall Street speculation; action to address the harmful effects, including substantial health damage from environmental pollution and climate change; and opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact and attacks on collec- tive bargaining rights. Resolutions were also passed in support of attacking the pervasive problems of racial and economic justice symbolized by the Black Lives Matter movement as well as opposing racial disparities in health, employment, environmental protections, and incarceration; support for Planned Parenthood in the face of attacks on the organization, with nurses noting the critical role of Planned Parenthood in providing essential women's healthcare; and on ethical principles for RN professional practice. "Nursing could be considered my second, third, or fourth career," said Elizabeth Bick- le, an RN delegate from Nevada. "When I graduated, I was a musician and had many jobs. I waited tables. I worked on a fishing boat. None of which provided me health insurance. I only had health insurance for the first time in my life when I became a nurse about nine years ago. Before that, I depended on Planned Parenthood as my safety net for all my healthcare. That was the doctor I saw." —Staff report NNU RN delegates set priorities at convention

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