Kucinich Stands With Nurses

For Immediate Release:

Contact: Nathan White (202)225-5871

 

Kucinich Stands With Nurses

Calls for Patients Before Profits

 

Washington D.C. (March 4, 2011) – Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), a former surgical technician, today joined nurses on the picket line outside of Washington Hospital Center (WHC) as they  demanded that patient safety come first.  WHC has proposed cutting wages and benefits for nurses and has failed to provide an adequate number of nurses, which puts patients at risk.  The nurses, represented by National Nurses United, are also protesting a four day lock out by the hospital's parent firm MedStar, who is denying nurses their pay as they exercise their right to strike.

 

"All over this country workers are watching events.  They are watching events in Wisconsin and in Ohio, where last week I was at the State House with thousands of workers, and they are watching events here in Washington.

 

"They are seeing workers demanding rights, not only for themselves, but for patients.  This is an important moment in history. This is a moment where we must stand up and speak out, where we must claim the basic rights that workers have: that we have a right to collective bargaining, that we have the right to a union, that we have a right to strike, that we have a right to decent wages and benefits, that there is a right to a secure retirement, there is a right to a safe work place, there is a right to safety for patients.

 

"It is nurses that are here in the front line in Washington.  It is nurses who are standing up for patients.  It is nurses who are demanding justice. Stand for justice.  Stand for the patients," said Kucinich.

 

AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka, Laborers' International Union President Terrance O'Sullivan and National Nurses United Co-president Karen Higgens also attended the rally.

 

See video of Kucinich's statements here.