About National Nurses Organizing Committee

Submitted by ADonahue on
Collage of nurses

A national movement for RNs

NNOC was launched by the California Nurses Association (CNA) in 2005 in response to nurses’ requests to build a national movement of direct-care RNs, modeled on the success of CNA. NNOC and CNA now represent more than 150,000 RNs in about 300 facilities throughout the nation, including Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

We are a national union and professional organization for RNs who are pursuing an ambitious agenda of patient advocacy that promotes the interests of patients, directcare nurses, and RN professional practice.

From coast to coast, we have won the best contracts for RNs in the nation. Some 40 years ago, RNs were among the lowest-paid professionals, had no retirement, and worked every weekend. Today, through the collective action of our members, nurses at NNOC facilities have safe staffing conditions, a more secure retirement, and salaries commensurate with experience. Our agreements are noted for enhancing the collective voice of RNs in patient care decisions, achieved through our professional practice committees, Assignment Despite Objection (ADO) documentation system, and improved health and safety protections.

We believe that a strong, professional RN union empowers us to take our patient advocacy from the bedside to the statehouse and beyond. We have repeatedly stepped outside the walls of our facilities to meet our goals, whether it was our 13-year fight to win and defend California’s safe staffing ratios or forming the Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN) to send RN volunteers in the wake of disasters, including the 2010 Haiti earthquake; Hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, Michael, and Dorian; and Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

In 2009, our organization was a major force in bringing state nursing associations across the nation together into one, National Nurses United (NNU). NNU’s total membership today stands at nearly 225,000 RNs and includes the District of Columbia Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York Nurses Association. NNU is the largest union and professional association of registered nurses in U.S. history.

We invite RNs to join us to help build an even more powerful voice for RNs and patients.

Our program

  • Improve RN workplace standards through collective bargaining to ensure RNs have compensation that recognizes professional skills and a retirement that provides dignity for our families after a lifetime of caring for others
  • Secure passage of state and national legislation for RN staffing ratios and other basic protections for RNs and patients, and meaningful health care reform based on a single standard of care for all
  • Make direct-care RNs, not administrators, the voice of nursing in Washington, D.C. and state capitals, and the guardians of our practice and profession
  • Block hospital industry efforts to undermine RN professional practice in legislatures, regulatory agencies, boards of nursing, and at the bedside
  • Ensure full compliance with the highest safety standards on limiting spread of pandemics, and guaranteeing
  • RN access to proper safety and protective equipment

Contact

National Nurses Organizing Committee
155 Grand Ave
Oakland, CA 94612
T. 800-540-3603
F. 510-663-4824