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National Nurses United

US organization of registered nurses

US organization of registered nurses

FieldValue
nameNational Nurses United
logoNationalnursesunitedlogo.png
location_countryUnited States
affiliationAFL–CIO
members225,000
founded2009
headquartersOakland, California
key_peoplePuneet Maharaj (Executive Director), Nancy Hagans, Jamie Brown, Cathy Kennedy, Mary Turner (Presidents)
website

National Nurses United (NNU) is the largest organization of registered nurses in the United States. With more than 225,000 members, it is the farthest-reaching union and professional association of registered nurses in the U.S. Founded in 2009 through the merging of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, the United American Nurses, and the Massachusetts Nurses Association, the NNU focuses on amplifying the voice of direct care RNs and patients in national policy. The union's policy positions include the enactment of safe nurse-to-patient ratios, patient advocacy rights at the Executive and State level, and legislation for single-payer health care to secure "quality healthcare for all, as a human right." The organization's goal is to "organize all direct care RNs into a single organization capable of exercising influence over the healthcare industry, governments, and employers."

Leadership

The executive director of the national organization, which is affiliated with the AFL–CIO, is labor leader Bonnie Castillo, who also heads the 90,000-member California Nurses Association. The former executive director is RoseAnn DeMoro, who serves as National Vice President and Executive Board Member of the AFL–CIO.

Activities

Single-payer health care

The organization backs a Medicare for All single-payer healthcare plan for the United States.

To support a single-payer system, NNU leadership mobilized large-scale demonstrations demanding single-payer healthcare be included in the platform at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

Occupy Wall Street

National Nurses United has held numerous protests, including one in front of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and another on Wall Street, to protest privatization and profiteering in the health care industry.

NNU supports a tax on financial transactions, which the organization says could raise at least $350 billion a year.

Support for Bernie Sanders

In The New York Times on January 28, 2016, Nicholas Confessore reported, "According to Federal Election Commission records [NNU's] 'super PAC' has spent close to $1 million on ads and other support for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders". The NNU spending was classified as "Expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate." In 2019, NNU officially endorsed Sanders for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

Week of action to honor Alex Pretti

In January 2026, the group called for a week of candlelight vigils to honor and seek justice for the killing of Alex Pretti, a nurse who was shot and killed by United States Customs and Border Protection agents in Minneapollis. Vigils were held in Augusta, Georgia, Aurora, Colorado, Austin, Chicago,Cincinnatti, Corpus Christi, Durham, El Paso, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Modesto, Roseville, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and Wichita.

History

United American Nurses

UAN logo

Founded in 1999, it only represented registered nurses (RNs). In 2009, UAN merged with the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee and Massachusetts Nurses Association to form NNU.

New York State Nurses Association

The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) voted to join NNU as an affiliate in October 2022, increasing NNU's total membership to nearly 225,000.

References

References

  1. "National Nurses United: About".
  2. Sun, Lena H.. (November 20, 2010). "Growing National Nurses United union steps up strikes in aggressive new strategy".
  3. (7 June 2011). "Nurses Rally for Health Care Funding".
  4. "National Nurses United". Common Dreams.
  5. Mensik, Hailey. (21 October 2022). "New York nurses union merges with NNU, US’s largest nursing syndicate".
  6. (September 19, 2017). "About National Nurses United | National Nurses United".
  7. (21 June 2011). "Nation Conversations: Rose Ann DeMoro on Demanding a Decent Standard of Living For All Americans". The Nation.
  8. (31 May 2016). "Nurses Seek Democratic Showdown". Wall Street Journal.
  9. Epstein, Reid J.. (November 12, 2019). "Major Nurses’ Union Backs Bernie Sanders and His Push for ‘Medicare for All’".
  10. Shusman, Bernard. (June 30, 2011). "Nurses, Unions Propose Wall Street Tax". VOA.
  11. Confessore, Nicholas. (28 January 2016). "Bernie Sanders Tops His Rivals in Use of Outside Money". [[The New York Times]].
  12. Fang, Lee. (29 January 2016). "New York Times Gets it Wrong: Bernie Sanders Not "Top Beneficiary of Outside Money"". The Intercept.
  13. (2026-01-26). "Nation’s largest union of registered nurses to hold week of action to honor Alex Pretti, RN and all killed by ICE, demand that Congress vote to abolish ICE now! {{!}} National Nurses United".
  14. Herchenroeder, Katie. (2026-01-25). "Nurses union calls ICE agents a “public health threat” after Alex Pretti killing".
  15. Lenon, Rakiyah. (2026-01-27). "CSRA organization holds candlelight vigil for Alex Pretti".
  16. Swofford, Stephen. (2026-01-28). "PHOTOS: National Nurses United Hold a Vigil in Aurora in Honor of Alex Pretti".
  17. Aldridge, Olivia. (2026-01-29). "Austin RNs hold vigil for Minnesota nurse Alex Pretti, describe him as 'one of our own'".
  18. Miller, Violet. (2026-01-29). "Hundreds honor Alex Pretti, call for abolition of ICE and Chicagoans to join nationwide general strike".
  19. Stawiszynski, Gillian. (2026-01-29). "Cincinnati nurses hold vigil for Alex Pretti, man killed by federal agents".
  20. Oliva, John. "Corpus Christi residents hold candlelight vigil for Alex Pretti".
  21. Clark, Kirstyn. (2026-01-29). "Vigil for Alex Pretti held at Durham VA as new video of Minneapolis shooting victim released".
  22. Barrios, Luisa. (2026-01-29). "El Paso nurses call for action during vigil for nurse killed by federal officers".
  23. Ledonne, Isabella. (2026-01-30). "Kansas City nurses, healthcare workers hold vigil for nurse killed during ICE operation in Minnesota".
  24. (2026-01-27). "Vigil to honor slain VA nurse Alex Pretti to be held by union in Las Vegas on Sunday".
  25. Stover, Brett. (2026-01-27). "Nurses to support slain RN Pretti at Sacramento, Roseville rallies".
  26. Headlee, Peyton. (2026-01-29). "Sacramento nurses honor Alex Pretti as part of nationwide demonstrations".
  27. Sisson, Paul. (2026-01-30). "Nurses mourn the loss of colleague Alex Pretti in La Jolla Thursday".
  28. Strazzante, Scott. (2026-01-28). "Anti ICE Vigil San Francisco".
  29. (2026-01-27). "Wichita nurses to hold candlelight vigil honoring Alex Pretti".
  30. (1999-11-19). "United American Nurses' Founding Members".
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