Rally for UW Health Nurses

Update: UW nurses will not strike; rally still will take place 4:30 pm, 9/13, Madison Labor Temple.

from the South Central Federation of Labor email list:

After three long years, UW Health nurses just reached a historic agreement with the UW Health board and administration! As a result of this agreement to give UW nurses a voice on the job, the planned strike has been averted.

All are welcome to attend the rally on TUESDAY, 9/13 at 4:30pm. WE HAVE MOVED THE LOCATION to the MADISON LABOR TEMPLE, 1602 S Park St, Madison, WI 53715. There will be music, food, great company (and parking)! Please bring friends and family to help us celebrate this huge win together in the community.

With your support, we showed one of the largest health systems in the state that when workers and our community come together, we can’t be stopped. The solidarity and support from labor unions was incredible, and directly responsible for this victory.

UW Health nurses are part of a resurgent movement of working people throughout the country who are rising up to demand respect, protections and unions for all. Solidarity!

from the Wisconsin AFL-CIO email newsletter:

The dedicated nurses at UW Health have made the difficult decision to strike on Sept. 13-16 for quality patient care and recognition of their union. Nurses will deliver the official 10-day strike notice today. UW nurses care for us, our neighbors, our loved ones and family members during our time of need. They save lives and have been on the frontlines of the entire pandemic. The strong majority of nurses at UW Health have been calling for union recognition for nearly three years. The UW Health administration refuses to recognize their union.

As UW Health nurses prepare to strike, show your solidarity:

• Go to supportUWnurses.org to send an email to the UW Health CEO and Board.
• Respect the nurses’ picket line. Don’t cross it, join it! Walk beside nurses Sept. 13, 14 and 15, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Strike HQ is outside the First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Drive in Madison.
• Attend UW nurses’ big rally and march on Tuesday, Sept. 13 outside the First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Drive in Madison. Rally starts at 4:30 p.m. and march starts at 6:00 pm.

UW nurses used to be members of SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin, but in 2014 management used Scott Walker’s union-busting Act 10 as an excuse to end union recognition. Since then, nurses have been calling for union recognition so they can best address a dangerous crisis of understaffing, cuts, turnover, exhaustion, and burnout, all aggravated by the pandemic.

Stand alongside UW nurses as we call for quality healthcare, good jobs and union rights for all working Wisconsinites.

In Solidarity,

Stephanie Bloomingdale, President

More from the South Central Federation of Labor: When you arrive, please check in at our sign-in station at First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Dr, Madison, WI 53705, where we can answer any questions and direct you to the picket line! Bathrooms will be available as well.

Event Parking and Shuttle Map here: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1Oo8d6n5mZ41td1JZ-WOjhMBK6_cKQ7c&usp=sharing

Parking details: Parking will be challenging for the duration of the strike. We highly encourage attendees to carpool and make use of transit, ride-share apps, and bicycle! But, we have made some parking accommodations:

• All-day street parking is available in Shorewood Hills - the city will not be enforcing the 2-hour limit for the three days of the strike.
• All-day parking is available at the Shorewood Hills Pool, 901 Swarthmore Ct, Madison, WI
• Free parking is available in UW Lot 131 after 3pm and UW Lot 130 after 4:30pm each day. Both lots will be served by our Strike Shuttle after 3pm and 4:30pm respectively.

Transit: The two nearest bus stations are: - University Bay Drive & Marshall Ct, and Highland & Waisman. They are served by Metro Bus Routes 38 and 2.