Fundraising Drive Update!

First, we have begun to make significant progress with unions: CWA Local 7250 in Minnesota donated $200, the Minnesota Nurses Association donated $1,000, the Michigan Nurses Association donated $5,000, and United University Professions at SUNY  donated $300. We are working on additional unions including National Nurses United, now.

Here is a statement from CWA Local 7250’s president, Kirean Knutson.

“CWA Local 7250, based in Minneapolis MN, continues to support the workers of Ukraine facing military invasion and occupation by Russian imperialism. Back in April 2022, soon after the all-out assault on Ukraine began, our Local took a firm stand against the attack and in solidarity with Ukrainian workers resistance: “Solidarity with Ukrainian Resistance! Russian Troops Out Now!“ (https://www.cwa7250.org/index.php/2-uncategorised/185-cwa-7250-e-board-solidarity-with-ukrainian-resistance-russian-troops-out-now)

So, today we are pleased to join with the Ukraine Solidarity Network in supporting a fundraising drive for Be Like We Are! (the Ukrainian Nurses Union) to purchase needed medical equipment for a front-line hospital and we encourage other unions and activists to do the same.”

And here is the resolution passed by the Michigan Nurses Association.

Resolution in solidarity with Ukrainian Nurses and Health Care Workers

Whereas, international labor solidarity has been a cornerstone principle of the labor movement for nearly two centuries;

And whereas, Registered Nurses and other health care workers in Ukraine have been organizing tirelessly through their union “Be Like Nina” (BLN) to advocate for worker rights, safe staffing and public health, despite conditions of war, COVID and martial law (https://www.uni-europa.org/news/ukrainian-care-workers-organize-in-war/);

And whereas, between the time of the Russian invasion in February 2022 and July 2024, at which time a children’s hospital in Ukraine was bombed, 1642 medical facilities in Ukraine had been damaged, with 214 completely destroyed (https://uniglobalunion.org/news/ohmatdyt/);

And whereas, the Ukrainian BLN union has made an international appeal for solidarity and material support in order to obtain necessary medical equipment to mitigate the ravages of war and promote improved working conditions and ability to provide necessary care to the population at large;

And whereas, the US based Ukraine Solidarity Network and Kryla, a New Orleans based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, are responding to the BLN solidarity appeal, collecting tax deductible donations to send to the BLN union (https://www.ukrainesolidaritynetwork.us/donate-to-support-ukrainian-nurses/; https://www.kryla.org/);

Therefore be it resolved:

 The Michigan Nurses Association will send a message of greetings and solidarity to be translated and transmitted to the BLN union of Ukraine;

And further be it resolved:

The Michigan Nurses Association will send a donation in the amount of $5000 to the BLN union solidarity campaign coordinated in the US by the Ukraine Solidarity Network and Kryla;

And further be it resolved:

The Michigan Nurses Association will transmit this resolution to NNU and sister affiliate organizations, as well as Global Nurses United and AFL-CIO leadership, with a message encouraging other labor bodies at the local, state, national and international levels to consider similar acts of solidarity with the Ukrainian BLN union.