News

AFT nurses, healthcare professionals, public employees, teachers, school staff and many others are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

On Friday, November 1, 2019, from 5:00-9:00 PM we will be holding our Annual Fall Membership/Dinner Meeting and Election of Local 5000 Officers at Klemmer's Banquet Center, 10401 W. Oklahoma Ave. in West Allis.

Election: Voting will take place from 5:30-7:30 PM at Klemmer's Banquet Center (Maryland Room). Members can stop by any time during these hours to cast their ballot. You do not have to attend the dinner meeting in order to vote.

Dinner Meeting: For a $5.00 registration fee, members will enjoy a delicious family style dinner including beef pot roast, baked chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetables, salad, rolls and coffee, tea or milk to drink. (A cash bar will also be available.)  Pre-registration is required by October 23, 2019.

When healthcare workers show up to work, they shouldn’t have to worry about whether a patient is going to hurt them. Violence should never be a part of the job.

Workplace violence has touched the lives of many of our members. One of them, Patricia "Patt" Moon-Updike, RN, will be testifying before the U. S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Workplace Protections at the hearing entitled "Caring for Our Caregivers: Protecting Health Care and social Service Workers from Workplace Violence" this Wednesday, Febrary 27, 2019, in Washington, D.C., to tell her story. 

On April 11^th we notified our members of our Union’s great concern regarding Ascension’s proposal to eliminate medical and surgical inpatient units at St. Joe’s Hospital and, more broadly, rumors of other cuts. Because of our concerns, we held meetings with Mayor Barrett and other elected officials, and also joined in the creation of a broad based coalition led by some amazing northside community organizations along with Citizen Action of Wisconsin. Nate Gilliam, our organizer, was also part of a meeting with St. Joe’s administration where the planned changes were aggressively challenged. 

We knew that by joining together with the community to stand up and preserve quality jobs and health services we would be stronger and have a greater chance to fight back against negative changes from Ascension. Our coalition--Save St. Joe’s--immediately put up an online petition, and now has a dedicated website. There is no question we got their attention.

All 11 Chapters of WFNHP Local 5000 held their election of officers in March 2018. The WFNHP Election Committee has counted the ballots and certified the results. These officers will lead their union for the next two years.

The new leadership teams include nurses and health professional leaders from across the state and from a variety of backgrounds. The elected leaders’ unique experiences are sure to enhance the work of our union and its vision of being recognized as a dynamic leader in ensuring the health of our community and the rights and living standards of our members and all healthcare workers in Wisconsin. 

Milwaukee, WI-- The Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (WFNHP), is saddened and disturbed at the loss of life and the conditions the for-profit Florida company, Armor, created in Milwaukee County's jail. Unfortunately, there were plenty of warnings that tragedy could strike and lives would be needlessly lost under Armor's direction.

On June 15^th the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals (WFNHP) and Citizen Action of Wisconsin launched a 60-day drive to create an organizing cooperative dedicated to fighting to make healthcare a fundamental human right.

WFNHP President Candice Owley on ‘Healthcare for All Co-op:”

"Our fight for quality, affordable healthcare didn’t begin with Obamacare and it won’t end with any version of Trumpcare. We’ve partnered with Citizen Action to create an alternative, a ‘Healthcare for All’ Co-op. This partnership brings together the voices of doctors, nurses, healthcare professionals and patients to transform our healthcare system. We know from the work our members do inside our communities that individuals want their voices to be heard, not shut out. Lawmakers should work together with those most severely affected by healthcare reform, to help fix what’s broken but also maintain the benefits the ACA has afforded has them. Working behind closed doors in Washington is not the answer. Together, we can build a better healthcare system—one that is centered on providing high-quality care, not on turning profits. Every responsible legislator in the country who shares the vision of affordable healthcare should join our movement.”

Congratulations to the Food Service, Housekeeping and Linen workers at St. Francis Hospital! On March 31st members unanimously ratified their first contract with their new employer, TouchPoint. The great turnout and 100% 'YES' vote was a huge show of support for the bargaining team who fought hard to get the best benefits, wages and working conditions possible. See contract summary here.

When We Stand Together...We WIN! 

Milwaukee, WI--Nurses who work at the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health complex will hold a press conference Wednesday afternoon, May 21st, at the Milwaukee County Courthouse to call upon County Executive Chris Abele to take immediate action to fill the dozens of nurse vacancies in the Behavioral Health Department (BHD). The direct care nurses will describe the growing staffing crisis which is putting both patients and staff at risk. They will present a list of immediate actions that could be taken to correct the staffing crisis.