NYSNA Nurses Fight Back Against Attacks on Our Healthcare, Unions and Democracy
Since taking office, the Trump administration has threatened the health and safety of New Yorkers by decimating the budgets of federal public health agencies such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Health, and Health and Human Services. In addition, Congress passed a budget resolution that threatens to cut hundreds of billions in Medicaid funding. New Yorkers rely heavily on Medicaid for healthcare, with over 7.5 million New Yorkers, including many children and seniors, covered by the program.
NYSNA nurses and healthcare workers have been sounding the alarm on these devastating cuts by attending rallies, speaking out in Congress, and lobbying our New York State legislators to protect our healthcare. Union nurses know we have a unique responsibility to advocate for our patients and protect our hospital and public health services, jobs, funding, and infrastructure. We know firsthand the devastating impact hospital closures, lack of access to healthcare, and lack of funding for research, prevention, and treatment of infectious disease can have on public health.
Unfortunately, our public health and healthcare programs aren’t the only things under attack. Last Friday, Trump signed an executive order seeking to end the collective bargaining rights for wide swaths of federal employees, including 15,000 National Nurses United registered nurses with the Veterans Administration, one of the largest attacks on labor unions in history. And just yesterday, in yet another assault on worker’s health and safety, the administration announced sweeping cuts and the termination of nearly 900 workers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), essentially eliminating an agency that provides critical health and safety expertise, protects workers in healthcare and some of the most dangerous industries, and is responsible for providing medical monitoring and services to 9/11 responders and survivors.
On Saturday, April 5, NYSNA joined a nationwide day of action to send a clear message to the Trump administration and his unelected billionaire ally, Elon Musk, to say HANDS OFF our healthcare, unions and democracy. We came together with labor unions, community organizations, and millions of people across New Yorkers state and the nation to demand a stop to the looting of our public coffers and the widespread attacks on our rights. Check out photos from the action here.
NYSNA members will continue to defend our healthcare, unions, democracy and the critical programs that keep New Yorkers healthy and safe. Stay tuned for more ways to fight back!