Nurses union endorses Vainieri Huttle

The state’s largest nurses and healthcare workers union today endorsed Valerie Vainieri Huttle for the Democratic State Senate nomination in the 37th district.

“Valerie has answered the call on many occasions when HPAE members reached out to her in their struggles for economic justice and workplace protections, said Debbie White, the Healthcare Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE) president.

Vainieri Huttle, an eight-term assemblywoman, is mounting an off the line primary fight for Senate against the organization candidate, Assembly Speaker Pro-Tempore Gordon Johnson.  The two are battling for the seat of Loretta Weinberg, who is not seeking re-election.

The union said that when nurses fought to save Bergen Pines Hospital – now known as the Bergen New Bridge Medical Center – Vainieri Huttle joined HPAE workers on the picket line.
“We are lucky in this district to have such outstanding public servants to choose from but, in the end, our choice of Valerie is because she is a champion of working people,” said NPAE first vice president Barbara Rosen.  “She has time and again walked the walk and talked the talk for our members and supported bills in the Assembly that have protected healthcare workers and patient safety.”