On June 6, which marks the anniversary of D-Day, a significant rally organized by the Unite for Veterans Coalition will be held in Washington, D.C.
This event, named Unite for Veterans, Unite for America, aims to draw attention to the crucial issues affecting veterans and their benefits.
Registered nurses from National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU) will join forces with Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, veterans, federal workers, military families, and various allies at the National Mall.
The rally is modeled after the historical 1932 Bonus Army march, where thousands of World War I veterans gathered to demand the payment of promised bonuses for their service.
Irma Westmoreland, a registered nurse and the chair of NNU’s VA Division, emphasized the importance of this rally.
According to Westmoreland, “Nurses are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our veterans as we fight for the highest quality of care for those who put their lives on the line to serve our country.”
She noted the imminent threat posed by proposed cuts that could result in the loss of tens of thousands of positions within the VA, which is already struggling with staff shortages.
The proposed cuts are a betrayal of what veterans have been promised, which includes access to comprehensive healthcare, mental health support, and a well-functioning VA system.
The Unite for Veterans, Unite for America rally is set to begin at 2:00 p.m. EST, just north of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, near where 6th Street crosses the Mall.
Speakers at the event will include Senator Tammy Duckworth, former Representatives Adam Kinzinger and Conor Lamb, alongside Westmoreland and other prominent figures.
The event comes at a time when registered nurses and federal workers are facing unprecedented attacks on their collective bargaining rights from the current administration.
In March, an executive order was issued which seeks to strip federal workers, including nurses, of their collective bargaining rights under the guise of “national security.”
The administration’s claims have been met with skepticism, particularly as the order was described as a response to federal employee unions that had supposedly “declared war” on the administration.
This has led to accusations that the executive order is an act of retaliation against unions for their constitutionally protected advocacy.
In April, NNU, alongside other federal-sector unions, initiated a lawsuit challenging this executive overreach in the courts.
Furthermore, nurses are rallying behind the VA Employee Fairness Act, a federal bill reintroduced on May 7.
This legislation aims to guarantee that nurses and other clinical staff within the VA maintain their full collective bargaining rights.
Westmoreland expressed determination regarding the ongoing struggles faced by nurses and veterans alike, stating, “We know justice is worth fighting for and we will not be silenced in the advocacy for our veterans.”
She highlighted the administration’s attempts to undermine workers’ rights, specifically their ability to fight for the integrity of the VA and justice for veterans.
“Nurses are tough. When the fate of a person’s life is put in your hands every day, you grow a backbone of steel,” she declared, asserting their commitment to continuing this vital struggle.
National Nurses United, the largest and fastest-growing union for registered nurses in the United States, consists of more than 225,000 members across the nation, representing various affiliates including the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee and the DC Nurses Association.
As the June 6 rally approaches, the focus remains clear: ensuring the protection of veteran benefits and advocating for the rights of those who care for them.
image source from：https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/national-nurses-united-rns-join-rally-in-washington-dc
