Nurses and Allies Demand "Robin Hood" Tax

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Nurses and Allies Demand (Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)In red scrubs and green Robin Hood hats, nurses took to the streets in 20 cities across the country yesterday – including a rally in front of the JP Morgan Investment Bank in downtown DC – to kick off a campaign for a “Robin Hood Tax.” The 0.5% tax on financial transactions “could generate $350 billion a year” says Karen Higgins, a nurse at Boston Medical Center and Co-President of National Nurses United (NNU). The money raised by the “Robin Hood Tax” would be earmarked for basic services like heath care and education “to get people back on their feet in this country,” Higgins told Union City. “The millionaires and billionaires aren’t paying their fair share right now” said NOW President Terry O’Neill as cheering picketers chanted “We want a Robin Hood tax! No more budget cuts on our backs!” In addition to nurses at the DC rally, there was a strong show of solidarity from DC Jobs with Justice, Americans for Democratic Action, Occupy Our Homes DC, the Institute for Policy Studies, and the National Organization for Women (NOW). Click here to watch a video and learn more about the Robin Hood tax campaign. - report by Julia Kann; photos by Julia Kann (above) and Chris Garlock (left)

 

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