June 17, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Marquette, MI  – Last night, the Marquette County Labor Council, a chapter of the Michigan State AFL-CIO, unanimously joined with over 170,000 registered nurses across the nation in support of the Main Street Contract. The Contract, a campaign originating with the National Nurses United (NNU), has seven key provisions:

• Jobs at living wages to reinvest in America
• Equal access to quality, public education
• Guaranteed healthcare for all
• A secure retirement, with the ability to retire in dignity
• Good housing and protection from hunger
• A safe, clean, and healthy environment
• A just taxation system where corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share

“As nurses, we take care of people from birth until death,” said Carolyn Hietamaki, RN. “Right now we are seeing the poor and middle class struggling to make ends meet due to everything from substantial increases to health insurance costs -- assuming they even have health insurance -- to layoffs and wage freezes. Nurses are at the forefront to make sure that all American citizens can have the right to a dignified life.”
NNU, the largest union for nurses in the United States, created the Main Street Campaign in response to the growing gap between the poor and the very wealthy. Corporate profits in 2010 increased at the fastest rate in 60 years and nearly 90% of the total income growth over the past 25 years has gone to the wealthiest 10 percent.
“We commend the Marquette County Labor Council for their enthusiasm and willingness to support the Main Street Contract,” said John Karebian, MNA Executive Director. “By joining forces, we can stem the tide of inequality being created by greedy corporations and the misplaced priorities of Wall Street.”
For more information about the Main Street Contract, go to www.minurses.org <http://www.minurses.org> .
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The Michigan Nurses Association is the largest, most effective union for RNs in Michigan. As the voice of all registered nurses in Michigan, MNA advocates for nurses and their patients at the State Capitol, in the community, and at the bargaining table. MNA is a constituent member of National Nurses United and an affiliate of the AFL-CIO.