Some 550 non-union registered nurses who work in 21 Kaiser Permanente hospitals across Northern and Central California have become members of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United, CNA announced today.

Registered Nurses from area hospitals will join Sen. Ricardo Lara, Mayor Robert Garcia and other local leaders and activists at a rally in Long Beach on Friday evening to kick off a campaign for the Healthy California Act SB 562, a bill that will guarantee health care for all Californians by establishing a Medicare-for-all insurance system in the state.

This week, registered nurses with National Nurses United (NNU) will converge in Atlanta to support Keith Ellison for chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), as over 400 members of the DNC gather for a final vote to select their new leader.

With a record turnout at membership meetings Wednesday, registered nurses at Kaiser Permanente’s Los Angeles Medical Center voted nearly unanimously to approve a new collective bargaining agreement with the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United.

California nurses, and healthcare and community activists, will join with State Senators Ricardo Lara and Toni Atkins Wednesday, February 22 in Sacramento to celebrate the introduction of legislation to ensure universal health coverage with effective cost controls, a Medicare for all style bill for all California residents.

On Saturday, February 18th, members of The Maine Health Care is a Human Right Coalition—led by the Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses United (MSNA/NNU), the Southern Maine Workers’ Center, and Maine AllCare—will hold a rally and march calling on Senator Susan Collins to attend a healthcare forum where she will hear directly from constituents on the importance of universal, publicly funded healthcare for all.

WASHINGTON - Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) introduced legislation that would raise billions to invest in our economy by taxing Wall Street financial transactions. The Inclusive Prosperity Act (H.R. 1144/S. 434) would tax the sale of stocks, bonds and derivatives. The tax imposed will be 0.5 percent on stocks, 0.1 percent on bonds, and 0.005 percent on derivatives or other investments.