In Greenfield, nurses are asking the public to join them at a rally for justice on March 9 at 4:30 p.m. The event will be at the town common. The nurses work at the Greenfield hospital, now known as Baystate Franklin Medical Center. They are members of a union, the Massachusetts Nurses Association, which is organizing the rally. The workers want fewer patients per nurse, and better wages and benefits.

The below photo was taken during a 2012 strike by the nurses at the Greenfield hospital. To enlarge the photo, click on it, then scroll down and click “see full size image.” photo by MassNurses.org

On average, workers in the USA make 27 percent higher wages when they join a union. That's according to www.bls.gov. Most union contracts say workers can only be fired for "just cause." Non-union workers can be fired at any time for no reason.

Millions of workers in the USA are union members, including all the workers at UPS, UMass Amherst, the Brattleboro Retreat (900 or so workers), and the food co-ops in Northampton, Greenfield, and Brattleboro. The Brattleboro co-op has about 160 employees.

The middle class in the USA is disappearing. There are more rich people and more poor people than there have been since the 1920s. This allows billionaires more influence over politicians. Unions are one way to expand the middle class and increase democracy.

In other news from the Valley, on March 8 at noon at the Greenfield town common, there will be a rally for International Women's Day. Details are at:

www.facebook.com/events/1837237006550415

A march for the same cause in Northampton starts at noon on March 8 at 20 Hampton Avenue. More information is at:

www.facebook.com/events/286247145126525

On March 11 in Greenfield there will be a rally in solidarity with Standing Rock. It starts at noon at the town common. As of March 8, more than 60 people had RSVP'd. More information is at:

www.facebook.com/events/1466248530054599

On March 12, peace activists will march from Amherst to Northampton. The USA, with 5 percent of the world's population, spends as much on the military as the rest of the world combined. Details about the march are at:

https://newenglandpeacepagoda.org/2017-walk-for-a-new-spring