On Monday, three nursing associations officially merged to form the largest labor union for medical professionals in this country. The new National Nurses United (NNU) combines the members and financial resources from the California Nurses Association, the United American Nurses, and the Massachusetts Nurses Union. With an estimated 150,000 members, this new union will be able to wield a significant amount of influence over the medical industry and healthcare reform efforts.

According to a press release, the newly formed union projects a major escalation in union organizing campaigns and a greater voice in the healthcare reform debate. The NNU is also pushing for passage of the National Nursing Shortage Reform and Patient Advocacy Act (S. 1031), a bill that would, among other things, require hospitals to implement nurse-to-patient staffing plans, and prohibit hospitals from imposing mandatory overtime and layoffs to meet the newly established staffing ratios. Deborah Burger, one of three newly elected presidents of the NNU, stated that the union is “going to make sure we organize every single direct care RN in this country.” 

In addition, the NNU intends to carry out the goals it established when plans of the intended merger were unveiled last February:  

• Build a Registered Nurses (RN) movement in order to defend and advance the interests of direct care nurses across the country;
• Organize all non-union direct care RNs;
• Provide a powerful national voice for RN rights, safe RN practice, including RN-to-patient staffing ratios under the principle that safe staffing saves lives, and health care justice;
• Provide a vehicle for solidarity with sister nurse and allied organizations around the world;
• Create a national Taft-Hartley pension for union RNs.

For more information on this development, see Littler's ASAP:  Major Merger of Nursing Unions to Shake Up Health Care by Anita M. Polli, John D. Doran, Jenna S. Barresi, and Jennifer L. Mora.
 

This entry was written by Ilyse Schuman.

Photo credit: SmithMaxfield