Historic Pact Creates Largest RN Union Ever in U.S.

Powerful New Association of 150,000 RNs Joins to Organize All RNs, Promote Healthcare Justice

United American Nurses, California Nurses Assn/NNOC, and Massachusetts Nurses Assn Reach Landmark Accord
 
In a dramatic move to unite the power and influence of America's leading direct care RN organizations, the United American Nurses, California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, and the Massachusetts Nurses Association today announced they are joining together to form a new, 150,000-member association.

The new organization will be called the United American Nurses-National Nurses Organizing Committee, UAN-NNOC (AFL-CIO), the three said in a joint statement issued today.

"Under the principle that RNs should be represented by an RN union," the statement declared, "we resolve to   create a new union of staff nurse-led organizations named UAN-NNOC" to:

1. "Build an RN movement in order to defend and advance the interests of direct care nurses across the country;
   
   
2. "Organize all non-union direct care RNs (a substantial majority of the budget shall be dedicated to new organizing);
   
   
3. "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;
   
   
4. "Provide a vehicle for solidarity with sister nurse and allied organizations around the world;
   
   
5. "Create a national Taft-Hartley pension for union RNs."

Central to the new organization is a guiding principle that all RNs "should be represented by an RN union," the joint statement declared.

For More Information:
UAN- Suzanne Martin, 240-821-1825 
CNA-NNOC- Charles Idelson, 510-273-2246 or 415-559-8991
MNA- David Schildmeier, 781- 249-0430

Related Information:

Mass. Nurses Association joins two others to create a massive, nationwide union
The Patriot Ledger 02/19/09

3 of nation's largest nursing unions merge, will target Dallas-Fort Worth area
Dallas Morning News 02/19/09