CANTON – The Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) today endorsed Jesse Mermell for Congress in the Fourth Congressional District. The 23,000-member union of nurses and healthcare professionals chose Mermell out of the crowded field because of her commitment to championing labor rights, fighting for an affordable and accessible healthcare system, and leading an equitable recovery to COVID-19 that centers the voices of healthcare workers.
“The nurses and healthcare professionals of the Massachusetts Nurses Association stand proudly behind Jesse Mermell because we know she will stand behind us in Congress,” said MNA President and RN Donna Kelly-Williams. “Jesse’s experience and vision for this district have demonstrated to us that she has what it takes to stand up for what is morally right and make sure that nurses on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic have the protection and support they deserve.”
“With the federal government failing to protect nurses and healthcare professionals on the front lines of COVID-19, it is crucial we have a powerful advocate like Jesse Mermell in Congress standing by our side,” said Karen Coughlin RN, member of the MNA Board of Directors and former longtime Department of Mental Health RN, and resident of Mansfield, MA. “Jesse knows and will fight for what caregivers need to provide safe patient care, protect our communities and keep our families healthy.”
Mermell is a Democrat from Brookline who has been leading on the progressive issues that matter most to Massachusetts families for 20 years. She fought for contraceptive coverage in the Affordable Care Act at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, spearheaded local climate change initiatives on the Brookline Select Board, led Governor Deval Patrick’s Strong Women Strong Families Initiative, and helped negotiate Massachusetts’ Paid Family and Medical Leave law as President of the Alliance for Business Leadership.
“Donald Trump has abandoned our nurses while they fight COVID-19 on the frontlines,” said Mermell. “With the Massachusetts Nurses Association as my partner in Congress, I’ll take on Trump and fight for the protective equipment, paid leave and hazard pay that nurses deserve and make sure they have a seat at the decision-making table. Nurses have had our backs during this crisis, and I will be proud to have theirs. I’m grateful for their support and look forward to working together to create a better future for everyone in the Fourth Congressional District.”
The MNA is the largest union and professional association of registered nurses and health professionals in the state, and the third largest in the nation, representing more than 23,000 members working in 85 health care facilities, including 51 acute care hospitals, as well as a growing number of nurses and health professionals working in schools, visiting nurse associations, public health departments and state agencies.
The primary election for Congress in Massachusetts is on September 1st, but voters can apply to vote-by-mail immediately.
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Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.
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