Nurses, Healthcare Workers in 13 Countries Join Global Day of Action for a Healthy Economy

Nurses, Healthcare Workers in 13 Countries Call Day of Action September 17 in Stepped Up Call to Stop Austerity, Healthcare Cuts,

New York Action Will Also Press Demand for ‘Robin Hood’ Tax on Wall Street

Leading nurse and healthcare union organizations in 13 countries in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe are holding coordinated actions Tuesday, September 17 to escalate the call to stop the harmful effects of austerity measures, privatization, and cuts in health care services that they say are putting people and communities at risk, and call for safer nursing care.

Many of the actions – including a major march in New York City that coincides with the opening of the United Nations General Assembly and the second anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement – will also call for a tax on financial speculation, also known as the Robin Hood tax, to raise hundreds of billions of dollars in needed revenue for economic recovery. For more on the New York action:

http://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/entry/200-organizations-urge-obama-congress-to-back-the-robin-hood-tax-on-wall-st/

The international actions are the first fruit of the June founding of Global Nurses United that brought together leaders of the organizations who pledged to work together on these issues, as well as working collectively together to guarantee the highest standards of universal healthcare as a human right for all, to secure safe patient care, especially with safe nurse-to-patient ratios, and safe health care workplaces.

Among the actions:

South Korea: On September 12, more than 1,000 nurses and allies, organized by KHMU (Korean Health and Medical Workers Union), marched on the Korean National Assembly in Seoul to demand an end to austerity, save the Jin Ju Medical Center, and pass the Robin Hood Tax.

Argentina: FESPROSA (Federación Sindical de Profesionales de la Salud de la República Argentina) will hold a press conference on the 17th to demand full funding of public health care, respect for the rights of nurses and other health care workers, and in support of the Robin Hood Tax.

Australia—Queensland: The QNU (Queensland Nurses Union) will hold workplace actions at hospitals across the state on the 17th linking to the global demands. They will also publish ads in newspapers in Queensland on the vital role of nurses and midwives in providing universal health care, and hold a tree-planting ceremony at the union’s Brisbane office to mark the first GNU day of action.

Australia-- New South Wales: The NSWNMA (New South Wales Nurses and Midwives Association) will hold two rallies in Sydney at Parliament House for mandatory, minimum nurse-to-patient ratios and against austerity.

Brazil: FNE (Federação Nacional dos Enfermeiros) will be demanding of the Minister of Health and the President a vote on the Draft Law 2295/00 which regulates the working hours of all nursing professionals at 30 hours a week. The union’s state affiliates will concurrently call on state governments to strengthen the national action. They are also launching the National Forum of Nursing Organizations to broaden the debate on issues related to nurses’ working conditions and professional status.

Canada: CFNU (Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions) and United Nurses of Alberta will hold a rally in Calgary focused on stopping attempts by the government to impose cuts in the health care system.

Costa Rica: ANPE (Associacion Nacional de Profesionalies en Enfermeria) will hold a rally on September 17 at their labor tribunal to demand nurses’ rights to collectively bargain and to strike and will then deliver a demand to the government to fully fund public health care for the people of Costa Rica.