OFFICIAL NOTICE: Nomination & Election of WFNHP-Local 5000 Chapter Officers

October 15, 2024

In accordance with the WFNHP-Local 5000 constitution and bylaws, the nomination and election of Chapter Officers will take place in Fall of even numbered years. Therefore, it is time to nominate and elect the officers and stewards who will lead your Chapters for the next two years (Term of Office: January 1, 2025-December 31, 2026). These are the people who will run your union on a daily basis. The role of the union officer is critical to the democracy and quality of your union. 

If you have been a member in good standing for at least three (3) months, you can run for office yourself or nominate other members who would assure that your workplace has the very best team to fight for quality working conditions and quality healthcare services. Perhaps you have thought of being more active in your union, or that your coworker would make a perfect union leader. Now is the time to act on those thoughts. All union leaders receive training and support, so lack of knowledge should not be a barrier. The most important criteria is willingness to step forward and be trained. All current and former leaders began just like that.  

Dear nurses, techs, and other frontline healthcare workers of Ascension Wisconsin: Remember, we are stronger together. You know what we’ve just survived. Imagine what we could accomplish if we get organized.

Without us, the frontline healthcare workers, Ascension would not be able to keep their doors open or care for patients. While we may be getting back online, the ongoing crisis across Ascension hospitals and clinics as a result of a cyberattack makes this crystal clear. We’re proving right now how we can unite to care for each other and our patients, even when administration leaves us in the dark. That’s why we need to come together in a union, every Ascension healthcare worker across Wisconsin, because we deserve better from our employer, our patients deserve better, and together, we are powerful. If you’re an Ascension healthcare worker, email our union at organize@wfnhp.org to start the process of building a union in your workplace.

Watch our interview with WTMJ4 News regarding the recent Ascension cyber security attack and our concerns over the disruption of care and services at St. Francis Hospital in Milwaukee, WI. WTMJ4 News Interview -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rh9PiVg42k

Here's a thread of other press stories about the effect of the cybersecurity hack and our members' collective efforts to keep caring for their patients:

PRESS RELEASE FOR:
Thursday, May 9, 2024

For more information, contact:
Jamie Lucas, (720)621-3689, jlucas@wfnhp.org

ASCENSION CYBER SECURITY ATTACK IMPACTING HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND PATIENT CARE

MILWAUKEE – Wednesday, May 8th, Ascension's electronic health record (EHR) was unexpectedly taken off-line. Union members of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals at Ascension St. Francis Hospital are concerned about their ability to provide the quality care that patients deserve, including concerns over delayed test results, access to doctors, and increased chance for medical errors. At the time of this press release, the system is not up and our members have been told there is "no end in sight."

The loss of our EHR has dramatically slowed down care and significantly reduced nurses' and other healthcare workers' ability to care for patients. Our members are concerned about management's response to this crisis, for reasons including: