CWA Among Unions Launching Nurses' ICC

CWA and seven other unions representing 200,000 registered nurses are asking the AFL-CIO Executive Council to approve a new Industrial Organizing Committee (ICC) for nurses — "RNs Working Together" — when the council holds its mid-winter meeting next week in San Diego.

At a press briefing Feb. 23, spokespeople for the unions said the group will share information and work together on joint organizing, bargaining and public policy strategies for the nursing profession. RNs Working Together also will focus on patient care issues and problems with the nation's broken health care system, they told reporters.

RNs Working Together expects to be the first ICC to be officially chartered as part of the AFL-CIO's program, announced last summer, to promote common strategies and practices for unions within a given industry. Among other ICCs now being developed, CWA also is involved in forming committees for arts, entertainment and media, and for the public employee sector.

Each union has designated a member to a core leadership committee for RNs Working Together. CWA's representative, District 1 staffer and RN Debora Hayes, told reporters, "We're looking ahead to coordinating bargaining and organizing campaigns, starting with some very effective models already in place. We'll build upon these relationships to improve working conditions for our members and the quality of patient care nationwide."

The unions in addition to CWA include the United American Nurses, AFSCME, American Federation of Teachers, American Federation of Government