Healthcare workers are on the front lines of the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic. Many are rising to the occasion and working overtime, risking their own health and safety in order to care for our community. All of us depend on their ability to do their jobs. Unfortunately, our current healthcare ecosystem is unable to meet the influx of needed care.
Your voice matters. Wisconsinites will have the opportunity to vote in the Midterm Election on Tuesday, November 6th. WFNHP is encouraging all members to exercise their right to vote. How you vote is a personal decision. Our union has researched and interviewed candidates and is endorsing the following candidates in the Midterm Election:
Today's Supreme Court decision, the Janus ruling, impacts unions and union members across the country, but it means something unique to us in Wisconsin. We have endured attacks on our rights as working people over the last several years. Unfortunately, our union sisters and brothers across the country are now getting a taste of what we have faced. However, we have never stopped fighting for what our members and patients deserve--no matter what--and today will not weaken our resolve.
“This is a very bad ruling, but living in a state that for years has been attacking workers’ rights, we have learned that we can be a strong and effective union when we stick together and join with the community to stand up for working families. In spite of relentless attacks, nurses and healthcare workers in Wisconsin continue to join together in our union, because they know the future is better when workers have unions,” said WFNHP President, Candice Owley.
Ascension Healthcare has officially taken over St. Francis Hospital. The workers are joining together to keep our voice in the workplace and we need your help to make sure we succeed in keeping the Southside strong.
WFNHP Local 5001's Connie Smith, surgical tech at St. Francis Hospital in Milwaukee, waited for hours to testify before the Senate Committee on Labor & Government yesterday, but was cut off when Senator Nass abruptly ended testimony, thereby shutting down the democratic process, to ram through a vote on the anti-worker Right to Work bill.
Attempting to silence the voices of its workers is a shameful way to conduct public policy in our state.
Workers and community members from across the state are gearing up to make their voices heard and participate in democracy this week at the Capitol in order to STOP anti-worker Right to Work legislation in Wisconsin.
You can participate by attending one of the following rallies:
12 Noon - Tuesday, February 24th - Rally on the State Street side of the Capitol in Madison.
12 Noon - Wednesday, February 25th - Rally on the State Street side of the Capitol in Madison.
Neither rain, nor winds, nor injury or disability keeps WFNHP members from volunteering to RECALL Walker and RECLAIM Wisconsin.
Bonnie Pedraza, VA Hospital retiree, explained that the rain did not bother her as she grabbed a packet to go door-to-door to talk to fellow union members about the importance of getting out to vote on June 5th.
Blind occupational therapist, Kari Held, works with people with serious and persistent mental illness at the Day Treatment Center in Milwaukee County's Behavioral Health Department. Kari knows personally the type of devastation Scott Walker is willing to cause to further his own political career. In 2009, despite her then 20 years of service to Milwaukee County, Scott Walker proposed to eliminate her job and the entire Day Treatment Center. You can read the full Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story here. Despite her disability, Kari wanted to do her part to recall Walker. Accompanied by her service dog, Trista, she spent last Saturday afternoon at the Milwaukee Area Labor Council hand-stamping post cards that were hand-written by union members for union members. Now that's one special delivery!
We have been contacted by members asking how they can contribute financially to our fight against Governor Walker's attacks on our members' collective bargaining rights, the fight to save the quality healthcare services our members provide to the public, and the fight to take back our state. Click here to make a voluntary donation to WFNHP's S.O.S. Fund--Save Our Services/Save Our State--via PayPal or any major credit card.
Make your views known to those in Congress and state legislatures who represent you on the issues that affect working families every day. Visit the AFT's Take Action page.