Nurses union to protest at White House Tuesday

A national nurses union announced Monday that members of its organization would protest at the White House on Tuesday to demand funding for mass production of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the next coronavirus stimulus package.

National Nurses United (NNU), the largest nurses union in the U.S., said in a press release that members planned to read aloud names of nurses who have died from COVID-19 as hospitals across the country struggle to provide masks, gloves and other equipment for staffers.

“With no federal health and safety standard, nurses and other health care workers in many hospitals across the country have not been provided with adequate PPE to protect them from exposure to the virus,” the group said.

“NNU is calling on Congress to mandate the [Defense Production Act]’s use to produce the equipment and supplies health care workers need to care for COVID-19 patients as well as to conduct mass testing that is required to control the spread of the virus,” it continued.

Press Release: Nurses to Protest at White House to Demand OSHA Standard and Mass Production of PPE for Health Care Workers

Nurses demand Congress include a mandatory OSHA emergency standard in its next #COVID19 legislative package.https://t.co/YZJDDy1wdG #ProtectNurses pic.twitter.com/VoCT4X0IGB

— NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNurses) April 20, 2020

President Trump has utilized the Defense Production Act on a limited basis in recent weeks to manufacture ventilators and some other equipment to respond to the coronavirus outbreak but has encouraged hospitals and states to take the lead on obtaining other supplies.

The previous $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief and stimulus bill was the largest of its kind in U.S. history, but groups ranging from small-business owners to the Pentagon are already clamoring for more funding.