Health Professionals Join AFT

July 10, 2016  
By Stephanie West

Washington, DC — Health professionals in Montana, Connecticut and New Jersey voted to join the American Federation of Teachers, representing registered nurses, medical and dental assistants.

“Healthcare professionals across the country want a voice in their jobs, and they see that that comes with forming a union. We’re honored these three units of frontline workers in three different states chose to join the AFT,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “Whether they’re helping our family and friends overcome the scourge of addiction, addressing acute medical conditions, helping patients recover from accident or injury, or providing preventive care, these health professionals know that their working conditions are patients’ healing conditions. We’re ready to stand beside them as they fight to reclaim their dignity and respect on the job and to advocate for safe conditions for their patients.”

Healthcare professionals face increasingly difficult conditions, from hospital consolidation, to understaffing and budget cuts, to acute health crises like the opioid epidemic or the Zika virus. The AFT is the second-largest union of nurses and health professionals. Since 2014 over 3,000 health professionals, have voted to join AFT.