Nurses Speak Up

media release: This year Madison RNs are marking Nurses Week by telling our elected officials what we experienced working through the pandemic, and what they can do to show their appreciation. Join us May 8 as we call on the public to recognize our work by standing with us in our fight for union rights at our hospitals!

During the pandemic, essential workers--including nurses--risked our lives and our families’ lives to provide quality, compassionate care to our community. We’re facing extreme physical, mental and emotional exhaustion and burnout. At Meriter, because nurses have the right to negotiate a union contract, we were able to recently achieve a groundbreaking agreement which ensures we have the time we need to heal; that we are valued for our sacrifices; and that we have a real voice in public health emergencies moving forward.

But thousands of nurses at UW and St. Mary’s Hospitals do not have a union, and so they have had no meaningful way to address their serious concerns or advocate effectively for themselves, their families and their patients. The pandemic revealed how little power nurses have over their working conditions, and renewed their desire to advocate for themselves in union contract negotiations directly with their employers. Meriter nurses are standing united with our colleagues at UW and St. Mary’s to declare that we will not stop until ALL nurses and essential workers have union rights for a better future. Stand with us on May 8!