[1]National Nurses United

Today is International Workers’ Day – otherwise known as May Day.

It’s a worldwide celebration of labor rights, and a call to action to
fight for the rights of working-class people in our country and around the
world.

In honor of May Day, nurses are taking action today at 139 workplaces
across the country to demand the protections we need for ourselves, other
health care workers, and our patients to stay safe during this pandemic.
Nurses are protesting outside hospitals, marching together on our bosses,
and wearing stickers on our scrubs to demand the PPE we need to stay safe.

Too many nurses are still being forced to treat patients without PPE and
even being disciplined for calling on our employers to follow proper
safety measures. That’s why we’re asking all of you to stand in solidarity
with us this May Day and call on hospitals to do more to secure the PPE
that nurses desperately need. 

[ [link removed]- ]Will you make an urgent call to the American Hospital Association right
now to demand that all AHA member hospitals do more to secure the PPE we
so desperately need and stop threatening nurses who speak out?

HOW TO CALL:

→ Dial (202) 519-0494 ←
You can use this sample script when you call (be sure to mention if you
are a nurse or health care worker!):

“Hi, my name is ______ and I’m calling in support of nurses
across the country taking action today for better workplace protections
during this crisis. I’m calling to ask the AHA to call on your member
hospitals to do more to provide nurses with the PPE they need to take care
of their patients and keep us all safe. If nurses become infected, they
won’t be there when you and your loved ones need them. Hospital employers
are not doing enough, and the AHA needs to demand that they step up. Thank
you.”

[ [link removed]- ]Tell us how it went »

The AHA includes thousands of member hospitals across the country. It has
tremendous power and influence to call on its member hospitals to take
action and provide the PPE that nurses and health care workers need to
protect ourselves.

This is a matter of life and death. For weeks, health care workers in
Kansas City warned their employer that the lack of adequate PPE was
putting them at risk when treating COVID-19 patients.

One of the nurses there who raised concerns about the lack of PPE, Celia
Yap Banago, died last week after caring for a COVID-19 patient. She was an
RN who had worked at Research Medical Center for more than 40 years.
Nurses at the same facility are reporting that there’s been no change to
PPE protocols or supplies since her death. 

Nurses should not have to risk their lives to do their jobs. Employers
should be doing everything they can to secure PPE and make it available —
not hiding it away or disciplining nurses who advocate for safety. 

[ [link removed]- ]Will you join nurses this May Day and call the AHA to demand that they
do everything in their power to protect nurses and provide the PPE they
need to stay alive and treat their patients?

It’s up to us to make sure that every nurse – regardless of union status
– has the protections they need to do their jobs safely. 

Thank you for speaking out. 

In solidarity, 

National Nurses United

P.S. - To help amplify our voice this May Day, [ [link removed]- ]please share this tweet
from our Executive Director, Bonnie Castillo.



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