WELCOME to the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals

The Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (WFNHP) is affiliated with AFT Healthcare, the national healthcare division of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

WFNHP is a democratically run labor union of health professionals, committed to the growth and empowerment of its membership and all healthcare workers.  WFNHP seeks to secure optimal working conditions and professional development for its members, while playing a leadership role in establishing high standards of clinical practice and patient care.

Supervisors share Union's anger at 2010 BHD budget proposals--On Friday, July 10, 2009, the Personnel Committee of the Milwaukee County Board voted 6 to1 in favor of the Local 5001 three-year contract. Supervisor Borkowski was the only no vote and he had previously said he would vote no unless there was a two-year wage freeze. At the public hearing, president Owley informed the Committee that the union members had ratified the agreement; but, expressed outrage at discovering, shortly after the ratification meeting, that a budget request from BHD would wipe out many of the items in the new contract. Follow link for more details...

On July 6th the five-alarm fire continued to blaze at the Smithfield owned, Patrick Cudahy plant in Cudahy, Wisconsin. The United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) union, Local 1473, represents approximately 1,400 Patrick Cudahy workers at this location. "Local 1473 has a long and proud history of coming to the aid of fellow brothers and sisters in the labor community. Today we ask that union brothers and sisters and community members help our members and their families in the aftermath of this tragic event; in their time of need," said President Eiden. Follow the link for more details on how you can help...

The Local 5012 bargaining team reached a tentative agreement with Memorial Hospital of Burlington on a new two-year contract, 7/1/2009 - 6/30/2011. Details of the agreement will be presented at ratification meeting(s) scheduled for this Friday, July 10th. Click to read details on the ratification meeting(s).

Help us fight for quality, affordable health care for all.

On Friday, July 2nd, representatives of WFNHP delivered approximately 20,000 postcards and petition signatures in support of the Employee Free Choice Act to Senator Herb Kohl's Milwaukee office. This was part of an ongoing effort to thank Senator Kohl for his continued commitment to labor law reform.

On Friday, June 19^th, the Union signed an agreement that would exempt our members from the 35-hour workweek. In order for the 40 members to avoid furloughs we agreed that, if necessary, all members would lose up to two November holidays; and, if the furlough was less than six months, the holiday loss would be reduced accordingly. On June 29th, a labor arbitrator ordered the furloughs be cancelled. Click on the link for more details on this ruling and what it means for Local 5001 members.

On Monday, June 29^th, the Local 5001-Milwaukee County Chapter membership overwhelmingly voted in favor of a new three-year contract with Milwaukee County that provides fair wage increases and protects against healthcare costs. Follow the link to read more details on the tentative agreement.

More than 23,000 people took the AFL-CIO's Health Care for America Survey. Find out how they say our broken health care system should be fixed.

A joint document that offers guidelines for labor organizing in Catholic hospitals, was released June 22nd by the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB). This marks an unprecedented and giant step forward in positive labor-management relations and creates a fair and balanced process for workers to choose whether or not to form a union; according to the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (WFNHP).

With all the talk in the city of Milwaukee about the paid sick days referendum, this recent report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), a nonpartisan think tank, finds that mandatory paid sick days do not lead to higher unemployment.

Are you on Facebook? Want to be among the first to hear about WFNHP activities, campaigns and events? Follow WFNHP on Facebook. Click here to become a WFNHP fan on Facebook now...

We want to hear from you. Visit AFT Voices to share your opinion on the challenges you face in the workplace by answering our new survey question posted on the site.  Plus read comments from fellow members.  Current Questions: How are healthcare costs affecting you and your family? What sources of income will you rely on in retirement, and do you expect them to be sufficient?

WFNHP issues press release in response to Wisconsin Hospital Association's statement that they do not believe mandatory overtime is appropriate or a frequently used staffing strategy; however, in order to protect patients must remain an option.

Contact your state legislators and urge them to support the legislation to end the dangerous practice of mandatory overtime for Wisconsin's healthcare workers.

Mandatory overtime affects both healthcare workers and healthcare consumers. In the past, mandatory overtime in healthcare was used only in response to unforeseen emergencies in acute care hospitals. Since the mid-1990's, hospitals have used mandatory overtime as standard practice in an attempt to cut costs by not hiring additional nurses. Nurses and other direct care staff are being required to work double shifts, often without any advance notice, which can also put a severe strain on their family obligations.

Fifteen states now have legislation or regulations banning or controlling the use of mandatory overtime. This year, with your help, we can make Wisconsin number 16.

Unions paved the way to the middle class for millions of workers and pioneered benefits along the way, including paid healthcare and pensions. Even today, union workers earn significantly more on average than their non-union counterparts. View the interactive map and read about how unions are good for Wisconsin's economy.

Thanks in large part to the efforts of union volunteers around the country and in Wisconsin, working families won a strong victory on November 4th, sending Barack Obama to the White House and electing a stronger pro-worker majority of Senators and Representatives. However, winning an election isn't the end of the fight. It's just the beginning.

We're rebuilding the economy and our middle class by supporting good union jobs in America. It's a perfect time to remind you about all the great American-made items at the Union Shop Online. From hats to shirts, buttons, mugs, portfolios, games, umbrellas and more, they have what you need and it's all made in America by union workers.