News from AFT Nurses and Health Professionals Archive

In her latest column, AFT President Randi Weingarten warns that our democracy is under serious strain as elected officials test the limits of power and threaten fundamental rights. She highlights troubling reports from members about aggressive immigration enforcement and the undermining of civil liberties. Americans are pushing back through protests and by breaking with leaders when necessary, she writes. Weingarten frames this moment as a crucial test of our democratic traditions, and she calls on people to defend freedoms and act before it’s too late.  

 

Across the country, immigration enforcement actions are rapidly expanding in scope, visibility and impact, with profound consequences for students, families, patients and entire communities. The recent killing of U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis has brought renewed national attention to the real and growing human costs of aggressive and insufficiently accountable enforcement practices. Join us Wednesday, Jan. 28, at 6 p.m. EST for a webinar that will examine the current state of immigration enforcement, the implications of these policy shifts, and what they mean in practice for educators, healthcare workers, students and families. It will also highlight the AFT’s response and resources, as well as showcase how our locals are showing up in this moment.  

 

 

Legacy Health advanced practice providers represented by the Oregon Nurses Association ratified their first union contract, a historic triumph for frontline healthcare workers and a turning point in labor relations at Legacy Health. The contract contains across-the-board wage hikes, expedited schedules, and expanded APP protection if Legacy makes unilateral decisions about the workplace. APPs went on strike for 29 days starting Dec. 2, 2025, demanding respect for their labor, competitive remuneration, and a sustainable patient care future.  

 

Nearly 1 in 3 adults in the United States lives with disability. Yet disability remains stigmatized, and erroneous assumptions, healthcare disparities and access barriers can lead to poor health outcomes and sometimes devastating harm. In the Fall 2025 issue of AFT Health Care, Dr. Lisa Iezzoni makes clear that equitable healthcare for people with disability is a matter of human rights, and clinicians and unions can be strong advocates for accessibility, appropriate accommodations and more inclusive policies that prioritize the dignity of disabled patients—and benefit all of us.