Three registered nurses who are members of the United Steelworkers today joined more than 300 working men and women who volunteered to travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico from Newark, NJ to help with Hurricane Maria’s relief efforts.
USW Local 4-200 members A.J. Fitzpatrick, Kenni Soyinka and Esmeralda Valle are all registered nurses at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J. The sisters are among those who boarded today's flight – a Boeing 777-300ER, which was volunteered by United Airlines for a business and labor partnership – as a response to the urgent need for highly skilled workers to come to Puerto Rico to assist with the rebuilding effort and help people in need of medical and humanitarian assistance.
The District 4 members joined other members from the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), and United Airlines who teamed up to fly the more than 300 first responders and skilled volunteers -- including nurses, doctors, firefighters, electricians, engineers, carpenters and truck drivers -- to help with relief efforts and the rebuilding of Puerto Rico.
While in Puerto Rico, USW members will coordinate with the Puerto Rico AFL-CIO and the City of San Juan on various efforts including taking care of sick and injured patients.
In addition to the hundreds of highly skilled workers assembled by the AFL-CIO, the flight was operated by ALPA and AFA-represented United Airlines pilots and flight attendants volunteering their time. IAMAW-represented United ramp employees are supported the flight on the ground in Newark and San Juan.
The flight departed Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) at 11:00 a.m. EDT and arrived at San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) at approximately 2:45 p.m. EDT. The flight also transported over 30,000 pounds of emergency relief supplies.
The USW has thousands of members affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in Texas, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The union has set up an online relief fund here. All donations to the United Steelworkers Charitable and Educational Organization go directly to USW members.
You can also contribute via mail by sending your contribution to:
United Steelworkers
60 Blvd. of the Allies
Pittsburgh, PA 15222