News from AFT Nurses and Health Professionals Archive

Thousands of healthcare workers across Oregon and Southwest Washington spent five days on the picket lines, demanding better working conditions but also fighting to uphold the foundational mission of Kaiser Permanente. Physician associate Josh Oppenheim, who has been with Kaiser for four years, says “We're fighting for protections that prevent or reverse the burnout that's already happening. We're doing this so that we can serve patients better. We want Kaiser to provide the best healthcare possible. This is why we work at Kaiser.” You can also read why retired Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals President Kathy Schmidt and other “founding mothers and brothers” of Oregon healthcare unionism supported the strike.

 

In the fall issue of AFT Health Care, learn how we’re rising up to protect patients and our democracy as the Trump administration slashes funding for healthcare access, public health and research. AFT President Randi Weingarten shares an excerpt from her new book Why Fascists Fear Teachers underscoring the essential role of unions in ensuring working people have power, information and opportunity. Authors such as Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Linda Aiken explain how authoritarian leaders weaken society to gain power; economic inequality leads to democratic erosion; and safe staffing and equitable policies benefit patients and clinicians.

 

 

ER Dr. Bryce Pulliam testified at a U.S. House Steering and Policy hearing on the Republican healthcare crisis on Oct. 8 as the federal government entered its eighth day of the shutdown. House Democrats called the session to draw attention to what they describe as a looming catastrophe: millions of Americans facing skyrocketing insurance costs if Congress fails to renew Affordable Care Act tax credits that are set to expire. Pulliam, a founding member and chair of the Southern Oregon Providers Association, which is part of the AFT’s Northwest Medicine United urged Republicans to work with Democrats to fix the healthcare crisis.

On Oct. 1, the White House and congressional majority shut down the federal government. They refused to support Democrats in extending Affordable Care Act subsidies to millions of Americans before they face skyrocketing health insurance costs in the coming weeks. Republicans insisted that negotiations over healthcare funding should wait, holding firm in their GOP-backed continuing resolution to fund the government. The fight comes just weeks before the ACA’s open-enrollment period begins on Nov. 1.

 

Surgical nurse Heather Brauth traveled to Washington, D.C., from Norwich, Conn., on Oct. 15, to share her perspective on the ongoing healthcare challenges facing working families. At a news conference and congressional hearing, she spoke about the impact of recent federal policy changes—specifically, cuts to Medicaid and the pending expiration of healthcare tax credits. In this AFT Voices piece, Brauth opens up about what drew her to nursing, what it’s like to care for patients in a strained healthcare system, and why she believes healthcare workers need to speak up about the issues affecting both their profession and the people they serve.  

 

 

Catharyne Henderson, a nurse in surgical oncology from Ohio, went to Washington, D.C., in the early days of the government shutdown to speak out against the policies being pushed by Republicans in Congress and the White House that prioritize politics over protecting healthcare and keeping costs from rising. In her AFT Voices post, Henderson calls on her fellow AFT members to share their stories: "I’ve realized that remaining silent allows the other side to win, which doesn’t protect my patients or their health." The AFT is expanding our speakers bureau. If you would like to participate, please share your story with us at aftvoices@aft.org.