Today's frontline worker expression of solidarity at Research Medical Center was surprisingly militant.
That's understandable considering a nurse at this facility recently died during the coronavirus pandemic as she begged for more gear.
Here's a look at their demands and arguments as they align/unite with International Labor and socialist workers of the world. Moreover, the class-war undertones of their protest might be way most broadcast news outlets politely ignored the gathering . . . Read more:
Nurses hold ‘May Day’ actions demanding COVID-19 protections for nurses, health care workers
Nurses at 139 hospitals in 13 states representing more than 95,540 nurses will be holding workplace actions on Friday, May 1—International Workers Day, also known as “May Day”— calling for optimal COVID-19 protections, National Nurses United (NNU) announced today.
Nurses say their demand for optimal PPE is underscored by the fact that more than 60 nurses across the country have died of COVID-19, although due to lack of testing, the number is surely higher.
“Nurses signed up to care for their patients. They did not sign up to sacrifice their lives on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said NNU Executive Director Bonnie Castillo, RN. “On this day that celebrates the labor movement and working people, union nurses are standing up to demand the protections they need now!”
National Nurses United registered nurse members are calling on employers and the government to provide nurses and other health care workers with the highest level of protections, including powered air-purifying respirators, and single use of N95s and coveralls that incorporate head coverings and shoe coverings, and gloves. Otherwise, hospitals will remain fomites for infection, say NNU RNs, and nurses and health care workers will continue to get sick and sidelined, die, and be unable to care for the next wave of patients.
Nurses say it’s clear that the industry thinks they have produced an acceptable solution to the PPE shortage by implementing widespread re-use of PPE as well as the use of various N95 decontamination systems. This is unacceptable and unsafe, say nurses, who are calling on President Trump to activate the Defense Production Act to order the mass production of PPE. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must also pass an emergency temporary standard to mandate that healthcare employers provide protections needed for COVID-19, say nurses.
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Developing . . .
They have a right to protest, people have a right to object to their politics.
ReplyDeleteArguing with people who want to save your life, safely. Weird.
DeleteDid notice that most of them chose the red scrubs today. WEIRDER given that Research colors are blue.
DeleteWrong color nurses??? that means they should quietly risk their lives to save your worthless life.
DeleteMore surprising is the very low numbers of covid patients in any hospital in kc, if they don’t have enough ppe maybe we should take a hard look at the greedy ass hospitals possibly not buying enough ppe. Just trying to look at it from a different angle is all.
ReplyDeleteThere is still just not enough PPE. WHY WONT TRUMP ACTIVATE DEFENCE PRODUCTION???
DeleteIs it that his business is not situated to profit from PPE?
^^^ +1
ReplyDeleteWow...nurses who are too busy to do Tik Tok vids???????? Odd.....
ReplyDeleteTrump and his staff said that N95 masks cannot prevent you from getting the virus infection. And that ordinary citizens should not rush to buy or wear them. So what are these nurses complaining about? Masks do not protect you.
ReplyDelete