OWS Labor Outreach letter of support for NYS Nurses Assoc Jan 3 Strike against St Luke-Roosevelt

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

At 7:30 am on January 3, 2012, the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)
will go on strike against St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, unless an
agreement has been reached by then. Attached, please find the formal
announcement of the impending strike from NYSNA.

The Labor Outreach Committee (LOC) of Occupy Wall Street is appealing
for your support for the nurses. Their struggle embodies many of the
core issues motivating the Occupy movement. They are up against
hospital CEOs who make millions in salaries, yet demand givebacks in
healthcare at a time when, like the rest of the 99%, nurses are
struggling with soaring living expenses.

In standing up for access to healthcare they are also standing up for
the 99%, who confront dwindling access to coverage at a time when
for-profit hospital corporations are making huge profits and
government healthcare programs are being savagely slashed.

The nurses embody the OWS spirit in another important respect: NYSNA
has a newly-elected, activist leadership, able to breathe into union
activities just the kind of new fire and willingness to fight that has
made the Occupy movement a pole of attraction.

Finally, your support for the nurses at St. Luke's-Roosevelt is
crucial because contracts are also being negotiated at Montefiore and
Mt. Sinai Hospitals. The greater the support mobilized prior to the
January 3rd deadline, the more likely it will be that management at
those other hospitals will also yield to the nurses' just demands.

If there is a strike, picketing will begin at 7:30 am at St. Luke's at
112th St. and Amsterdam Avenue, and at Roosevelt, on10th avenue
between 58th and 59th St.

We hope that your union or other organization will be present to
support the nurses from the strike's beginning, and that you will be
able to mobilize your members  to join the NYSNA picket lines on a
regular schedule, for as long as the strike lasts.

We also request that you issue a public statement of support for
NYSNA. Please forward to:
Jackie DiSalvo <jdisalvo@nyc.rr.com>
Andrew Pollack <acpollack2@juno.com>
Johanna Villanueva <johanna.villanueva@NYSNA.org>

In solidarity,
OWS LOC