Nurse members of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East joined a large contingent of union members, staff and family at a recent rally in support of the Amendment 4 ballot initiative to restore and protect women’s reproductive rights and privacy in Florida.

Wearing purple “Standing Up For Reproductive Freedom” shirts, 1199SEIU Florida nurses were among more than 150 from our union in Orlando’s Lake Eola Park for the Amendment 4 campaign kickoff rally organized by Floridians Protecting Freedom.

The initiative on the November 2024 ballot is an amendment to the State of Florida Constitution and would reverse Florida’s new extreme six-week abortion ban that puts women’s health at risk and interferes with private medical decisions.

The dangerous ban was passed by the Florida legislature and signed by the governor earlier in the year.  Amendment 4 would eliminate the ban and ensure a woman can keep important private medical decisions between herself, her family and doctor.

Speakers at the rally described heartbreaking real-life medical and personal trauma they have experienced and desperately urged the large crowd to do all they can to pass Amendment 4.

Nurses are especially aware of the medical tragedies that can occur without access to safe, legal reproductive care.

“As a U.S. Marine I served overseas and fought for our freedoms,” said Mark DeFord, now still serving the public as a Registered Nurse (RN) at HCA Florida JFK North Hospital.  He was joined at the rally with his proud mom Susan, a former ER, NICU and Oncology nurse. “It’s a travesty Florida politicians are trying to take away important rights of our loved ones.  Let’s all fight together, vote yes on Amendment 4.”       

The high-energy rally concluded with the crowd marching on the walkway that circles Lake Eola, chanting “Yes on 4, Yes on 4.”

To learn more on Amendment 4, visit www.floridiansprotectingfreedom.org. 

To make sure your voter registration is up to date, visit www.registertovoteflorida.gov.