Media Advisory
November 16, 2011

From Washington D.C. to California registered nurse members of National Nurses United (NNU) will join protests alongside students, consumer advocates, Occupy participants, environmental groups and other labor unions Thursday to send a message from Main Street—the time for Wall Street to pay back is long overdue.  

NNU, the largest union and professional association of nurses in the U.S. says it is acting in response to a broad and profound decline in the  health status and living standards of millions of Americans linked to enduring economic hardship.   

From ailments tied to poor nutrition to patients foregoing needed medical care because of cost, communities across the country are in serious trouble, say the RNs.  NNU members reason that a tax on Wall Street, where profits continue to be enormous, could help fund critical needs, including health care for all, jobs at living wages, and full funding for quality public education.

NNU has been pressing for a small tax on Wall Street financial transactions, which economists estimate could raise up to $350 billion dollars a year to help heal the economy.  Support for a financial transaction tax (FTT) has been growing both nationally and internationally among an extensive coalition – student organizations, labor unions and the Occupy movement. An FTT was in effect in the U.S. from 1914 to 1966.   

Among the major protests on Thursday is a one-day strike called by the California Faculty Association (CFA) which represents 24,000 faculty, coaches, counselors and librarians at the California State University system. The strike will take place on two CSU Campuses-- CSU East Bay and CSU Dominguez Hills.
    
“There’s an economic emergency  in every corner of our country. We need to put thousands to work repairing our crumbling infrastructure--bridges, roads and schools. We need to keep people in their homes. We need to fund our schools so they can provide quality education. We need to ensure that all people have access to quality affordable healthcare,” said Malinda Markowitz, RN and co-president of the California Nurses Association/NNU.

Here is a partial listing of events NNU RNs will be joining:

• Boston
  We need jobs, not cuts. Thursday, Nov. 17-4:00 p.m., Candlelight March begins at Dewey Square (across from South Station)

• Chicago
  Put America Back to Work March and Rally, Thursday, Nov. 17- 3:30 Rally at Thompson Center Plaza, (Clark & Randolph), followed by a march 5:30—Occupy Chicago rally, LaSalle and Jackson

• Washington D.C.
  Save Social Security Rally with Sen. Bernie Sanders, Thursday, Nov. 17-10:00 a.m., Dirksen Senate Office Building, Constitution Avenue First Street, NE Room 608

Teach-In about the American Jobs Act by the Washington Teachers Union.
Thursday, Nov. 17, 12:00 noon, McPherson Square (15th St. and K St. NW.)

March and Rally for Jobs, Education, and Infrastructure sponsored by Occupy and D.C.  Unions. Thursday, Nov. 17, 2:30 p.m., Meet at McPherson Square (15th St. and K St. NW), March to Key Bridge for a job action about crumbling infrastructure and job creation

California:

• Carson: California State University Dominguez Hills:  Strike by California Faculty Association, Thursday, Nov. 17-6:00 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Rally, Noon, California State University Dominguez Hills, 1000 East Victoria Street, Gate E on Victoria Street

• Hayward: California State University East Bay: Strike by California Faculty Association
  Thursday, Nov. 17- 6:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Rally-Noon; Speech by Dr. Cornell West, 4:00 p.m.
  25800 Carlos Bee Boulevard, Corner of Carlos Bee Blvd and Loop Road

• San Francisco:  Make Wall Street Pay:  ReFUND PUBLIC EDUCATION!
  Wednesday Nov. 16-12:30 p.m., Rally at Justin Herman Plaza –1:00 p.m.-March on the banks
  4:00 p.m. - People’s Assembly for Public Education: State  Building 455 Golden Gate Ave.

• San Jose:  Rebuild the American Dream:  Occupy the Streets Solidarity March
  Thursday, Nov. 17-5:00 p.m., March from San Jose State University MLK Library (S. 4th St. and E. San Fernando St.) to San Jose City Hall, 200 E. Santa Clara Street

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