Sept. 12-15 – San Francisco, Calif.

Premiere of Video -- Global Nurses United: In Solidarity

Nurses, labor leaders, and activists from across the globe, including representatives from 25 countries, are gathering for the Global Nurses Solidarity Assembly, being held Sept.12-15, in San Francisco, Calif. The event is organized by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC), an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), the largest union and professional organization of registered nurses in the United States.  

“While we may be from opposite sides of the globe, we know that as nurses we share a common mission and are all bound by the same fundamental convictions: to heal the sick and injured, and fiercely advocate for the well-being of our patients, our communities, and our planet,” said Bonnie Castillo, RN, CNA/NNOC and NNU executive director. 

“We live in a world where working people are under attack, where our health systems are threatened by corporations and privatization. But these forces are not inevitable; we have the power to create and transform our world. When we work together in solidarity as a global movement of nurses, there is nothing we cannot achieve,” Castillo added.

The assembly includes global nurse leaders from 25 countries. A number of additional union representatives signed up to attend, but were denied entry into the United States. The U.S. State Department denied visas to the entire delegations from Malawi and Sri Lanka, as well as some of the union leaders from India and Guatemala.

“Nurse union leaders deserve the right to meet with each other, to express our solidarity and advance protections for patients, nurses, and the planet,” said Castillo. “Our sisters and brothers from Malawi, Sri Lanka, India, and Guatemala who were denied visas are with us in spirit. They can never deny our nurses’ solidarity, and we will keep fighting together for a better world.”

Global Nurses United, a federation of 31 premiere nurse and health care worker unions in 28 nations who fight against austerity, privatization, and attacks on public health, is releasing its latest video Global Nurses United: In Solidarity at the assembly. The link of this video may be shared or embedded and the file may be downloaded from this link.

Plenary presentations featuring international panels of speakers include:

• Global Health, Global Justice
• Nurses Fight to Win International Health Care Justice in the 21st Century
• Racial Injustice--Our National Disease, Our Challenge for Change
• Workplace Democracy and Working Class Power
• Insurgent Feminism: Workers of the World Unite for Gender Equity
• Advocacy without Borders: Fighting Inhumane Immigration Policy
• The Global Climate Emergency--The Fight for Environmental Justice

Participating unions:

Australia:

• Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation
• New South Wales Nurses and Midwives Association

Botswana:

• Botswana Nurses Union

Brazil:

• Federação Nacional dos Enfermeiros

Canada:

• Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
• Manitoba Nurses Union
• Registered Nurses Union Newfoundland and Labrador
• Saskatchewan Union of Nurses
• United Nurses of Alberta

Chile:

• Federación Nacional de Asociaciones de Enfermereas y Enfermeros de Chile

Curaçao:

• Curaçaose Bond van Werknemers in Verplegende en Verzorgende Instellingen (CBV, Curaçao)

Dominican Republic:

• Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de Enfermeria

Greece:

• Panhellenic Federation of Nursing Staff

Guatemala:

• Sindicato Nacional de los Trabajadores de Salud de Guatemala

Honduras:

• Asociación Nacional de Enfermeras y Enfermeros Auxiliares de Honduras (ANEEAH)

India:

• United Nurses Association

Ireland:

• Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation

Japan:

• Japan Federation of Medical Worker’s Unions

Kenya:

• Kenya National Union of Nurses

Paraguay:

• Asociación Paraguaya de Enfermería

Peru:

• Federación de Enfermeras del Ministério de Salud del Perú

Philippines:

• Filipino Nurses United

Portugal:

• Sindicato dos Enfermeiros Portugueses (SEP)

Rwanda:

• Rwanda Nurses and Midwives Union

South Korea:

• Korean Health and Medical Workers Union

Taiwan:

• Taiwan Nurses Union

Uganda:

• Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union

United States:

• National Nurses United

Uruguay:

• Sindicato Unico de Enfermeria del Uruguay

Full Global Nurse Solidarity Assembly schedule of events 

See The Schedule

Press are welcome to attend plenary programs and encouraged to contact us if interested in interviews with nurse leaders from around the world.