Downstate Highlights

Flushing hosPiTAl meDicAl cenTer

NYSNA members at Flushing are proud to now have a full executive committee . A distressing fact post the CoVID surge is that we have lost several RNs to retirement, including Maria Colella who retired in April 2021 after 31 years of service . We recently signed off on our VeBA and are actively getting that retiree fund off the ground . this will ensure retired nurses are able to benefit from retiree health coverage . there have been multiple trustee meetings to get the final details finished, and the trustees participated in a VeBA training course . While CoVID pandemic levels have decreased, nurses are still receiving premium pay for extra shifts . In other news, the psych and CDu remain closed for use as CoVID overflow units . the hospital recently launched a campaign to remodel the 5th floor . the plans don’t include enough space for nurses to have their own lockers and break rooms, and there will be a petition presented to the boss on this issue soon . the nurse practitioners at Flushing won an arbitration regarding their wages and nursing experience steps . this will result in thousands of dollars in increased funds for the Nps . the Flushing members were pleased to be able to fund the funeral and internment costs for longtime member Jackie Wade .

norThWell heAlTh sysTem

Despite a larger operational base and generally stronger finances, CoVID had a heavy impact on Northwell, the largest health system in New York State . In March NYSNA was able to negotiate Crisis pay ($100-$150 for extra shifts worked) at all Northwell facilities . In April, a $2500 lump sum plus one week of pto was negotiated at all facilities . In September, an agreement on vacation carryover was reached .

The FighT For A neW conTrAcT AT WesTchesTer meD heATs uP in 2021

At the start of the year, the executive Committee entered Bargaining training education with the labor education department to prepare for contract negotiations . the executive committee then selected the negotiation committee, alternates, and CAt leaders from the numerous departments, to ensure all units and shifts were well represented in the campaign . the Bargaining survey was released in April 2021 and over 600 nurses responded . the Negotiating team had an all-day Contract Bargaining retreat session in July to strategically plan their contract campaign, table, and proposals . utilizing the information and tools from the training, the team formulated a campaign plan and proposals that aligned with WMC members’ goals . We have successfully recruited 256 staffing captains at WMC to compliment our demand to finally build a comprehensive staffing grid with ratios at the major medical center . the committee plans on leveraging both the bargaining table and the state staffing law negotiations to achieve new staffing ratios .

sTAFFing AnD crisis PAy AgreemenTs reAcheD Across long islAnD

NYSNA nurses have fought for and won additional staffing and crisis pay agreements for their members at both Northwell and Catholic Health facilities . As the pandemic continues to surge into 2022, long Island members want to ensure their agreements to enhanced pay continue as over the duration of the staffing and CoVID crisis . these pay agreements also help make the case for economic proposals on wages and retention, as most facilities on long Island will be negotiating a new agreement in the next year and a half .

mounT sinAi sysTem

STAFFING FIGHTS PERSIST ACROSS THE SINAI SYSTEM – wEST, MORNINGSIDE, AND MAIN post CoVID staffing has been erratic across the hospitals . Currently, there are major staffing issues in oncology (related to rapid increase of program and poor retention), Maternal Child Health (due to unpredictability of births), and a stepdown unit (poor recruiting), and emergency Departments . Nurses on these units are involved in formulating a short and long-term plan . three units (l&D, 11C oncology and KCC4/5S) are currently at mediation for grid violations, where the nurses put a comprehensive settlement offer across the table and expect a response at the next meeting . A request was sent to meet and choose the tripartite panel neutral if the process fails . there have been numerous overtime incentives and recruitment incentives to improve the staffing levels on hard hit units . the results have been mixed with some levels of staffing being improved . the only true fix to this problem is the hiring of additional nurses .

neW yorK eye AnD eAr

New York eye and New York eye (NYee) members achieved a new contract in December 2021 . the new agreement provides for great raises each year, continuing NYSNA Health coverage, and important job displacement language for NYee nurses . Members recently

Downstate Highlights

Continued from page 21 learned that NYee will be transitioning to numerous free standing surgical centers and that the inpatient facility will be closing within the next 3 years . As a result of this information, the new contract contains clear and transparent rights to ongoing job, wage, benefit, and seniority protections if NYee nurses must transfer .

monTeFiore Bronx

throughout 2021, Montefiore Bronx nurses advocated for safe staffing and patient care . Nurses in the emergency Departments (ed) from Moses, Weiler, CHAM and Westchester Sq launched an eD campaign to fight for improved working conditions (such as access to supplies, stretchers, and adequate space) and better staffing . this campaign has included the development of a leadership committee, a flyering and sticker action, formations of demands, meetings with upper level Montefiore leadership, and more . CHAM eD nurses led a fight to relocate a juvenile patient who was being held in the emergency department for months . Between advocating to management, joint actions, and reaching out to elected officials, nurses were able to move the patient to a more appropriate location and eventually to another facility where they could get the support they need . the climax of this 2021 staffing campaign was the December speak out in front of Moses, where nurses rallied for safe staffing at Montefiore . After a 9-month mediation process, Monte Bronx nurses finally settled their 2020 allocations of nurses . the initial 2020 allocation agreement led to a hospital-wide standardization of ratios including a 1:2 for the ICu, 1:3 for Stepdown, and 1:5 for Medsurg . After the final 2020 allocation, nurses were successful in allocating an additional 21 positions to the emergency department . NYSNA executive committee leaders have demanded allocations meetings for the Fall to resolve the 2021 allocations with the goal to improve staffing in the eds, the CHAM hospital, and other units .

iMontefiore neW rochelle, 12/9i

BronxcAre

In August, the BronxCare Midwives settled a three year contract extension which included a retro and a 15% wage increase in 2021, 5% in 2022, and 6% in 2023 . this brought the midwives up to equitable wages with the BronxCare Nurse practitioners and will hopefully lead to better recruitment and retention in the department .

monTeFiore neW rochelle nurses Win neW conTrAcT AFTer hisToric FighT

When NYSNA nurses at Monte New Rochelle Hospital held their first bargaining session in November 2018, they could not have imagined the journey the next three years would bring . throughout 2018 and 2019, they attempted to reach a fair deal, but faced an employer with little interest in meeting halfway on the issues that were so essential to their families and their patients; safe staffing, a retiree health plan, and competitive wages so their community hospital could attract and retain nurses . the bargaining committee worked for over 10 months to try and reach an agreement until March of 2020 when the first CoVID patient at any NYSNA hospital was admitted in New Rochelle . From there, the pandemic emergency and ppe crisis ballooned across the state . Nurses at New Rochelle lost a beloved colleague from the oR who was floated into a CoVID unit to care for patients without adequate ppe . During the summer and fall of 2020, the nurses worked hard to reach a fair deal, but Montefiore dug in their heels, refusing to entertain a reasonable retiree health package or any staffing improvements . on December 1 and 2, the nurses went on a two-day strike . every NYSNA nurse respected the picket line . the nurses danced, chanted, and sang on the picket line . Kathy Santioemma, now a press expert, coined the rallying cry, “scrubs vs . suit!” the strike was covered in the New York times and in media outlets as far away as North Korea and Germany . the MNR strike, along with the strike in Albany Med, brought the critical staffing crisis to the forefront, jumpstarting a larger conversation that resulted in the passage of the New York State Safe Staffing Bill in 2021 . the nurses at New Rochelle continued to fight for a fair contract . In May 2021, they joined with Mount Vernon nurses to present the NYSNA-community-faith coalition white paper, “unequal empire” that illustrated how Montefiore’s growth in the region has served to reinforce healthcare inequality . Finally, over three years after their first bargaining session, New Rochelle

nurses settled their contract in December 2021 . they won over 15% wage increases over a 5-year agreement (3% every year), established a new VeBA retiree health plan, improved the tuition reimbursement, restrictions on floating, and so much more . Nurses at the hospital are now eager to pivot to fighting for their staffing plan alongside healthcare workers across the state, and helping their Mount Vernon colleagues reach the same contract deal .

iMount Vernon, 9/17i

coAliTion To sAve mounT vernon FighTs on

In early September 2021, nurses at Mount Vernon, along with the coalition to Save and transform Mount Vernon Hospital, partnered with the poor people’s Campaign and the people’s Nonviolent Medicaid Army to take to the streets! Community activists, faith leaders, and nurses rallied in front of the hospital then marched downtown, demanding funding for Mt Vernon Hospital and all hospitals that serve Medicaid/Medicare and uninsured populations .

sT John’s riversiDe, sT Joe’s, AnD nyAcK cAmPAigns

St John’s CAts have taken action for their contract! Most nurses signed an oversize bargaining platform and delivered it to the director of nursing . When SJRH nurse leaders realized many of their colleagues were clocking out and then continuing to work, they launched a campaign to educate their colleagues on demanding their time and have filed a grievance to recoup unpaid wages . Recently at the bargaining table, St John’s management confirmed that the hospital will be absorbing St Joe’s and afterwards will officially become part of Montefiore . Nurses are concerned this absorption may also include a reduction of services at St Joe’s . In response, nurses have a launched a community organization mapping project with pCo to identify the organic relationships that members may be able to use to create a coalition in support of saving services for the hospitals . After almost a month of bargaining, nurses at Nyack hospital have successfully negotiated an incentive program for nurses to work extra shifts! Nurses hope this agreement will incentivize nurses to help as the hospital faces flu season and a challenge in retention .

neW yorK PresByTeriAn sysTem

NYP HUDSON VALLEY HOSPITAL

NYp Hudson Valley Hospital nurses continue to fight for their first contract . In the summer of 2021, NYSNA RNs at NYp HVH won a huge victory against NYp’s union busting tactics and voted 2 to 1 to continue to fight for their first contract after joining NYSNA in 2018 . the RN negotiating committee is stronger than ever and united to win a fair contract . the biggest issues at bargaining are staffing, benefits, and union power . the committee has successfully secured weekly bargaining dates and a repeated commitment from the employer to finish this round of bargaining . Nurses are taking weekly action in the community and in front of the hospital to put pressure on NYp to invest in quality care at HVH . on Sept . 30, we held a successful speak out and rally in front of the hospital . Additionally, we have been spreading the word in the local peekskill community, and will be taking our fight to the NYp corporate board of directors in mid-october . the campaign reached a climax in November 2021 when we held informational pickets in front of the hospital, with hundreds of nurses and supporters show up in solidarity . FIGHT TO REOPEN PSYCHIATRIC UNITS CONTINUES Since the beginning of the pandemic our two inpatient psychiatric units with 50 acute care beds have been closed . the initial closure of Methodist and Allen psych units was under the guise of complying with Governor Cuomo’s mandate that hospitals have extra bed capacity for ongoing CoVID surges . We have yet to see these units reopened and our nurses continue to be displaced to other units in the hospital . Methodist nurses have worked locally with mental health advocates, homeless advocacy organizations, and other community organizing groups in Brooklyn to raise awareness and fight for these needed services . NYp Brooklyn Methodist nurses have also joined together with our colleagues at NYp Allen, nurses from long Island, and in Kingston experiencing the closure of psychiatric services . We are united and committed to this ongoing fight for access to inpatient psychiatric services in our local community . the Gracie Square nurses continue to struggle with understaffing, as they are now the last line of care for psychiatric patients in the NYp system . STAFFING CRISIS AT COLUMBIA NYp Columbia campus nurses are experiencing the worst staffing crisis in decades and nurses throughout our clinics, the adult hospitals, and the children’s hospital are uniting to push administrators to do everything they can to improve staffing . While the hospital says they’ve already tried everything, we know that isn’t true . We believe the hospital has more nurses who would be willing to work per diem who have left for other jobs or retirement and more nurses who would work overtime if offered bonus or incentive pay . Nurses feel undervalued and overworked . NYp is losing staff to travel jobs and other systems in NYC that are offering better pay . We continue to bring units impacted by the staffing crisis forward to meet with management and raise concerns . this staffing campaign reached a climax in November 2022 when over 250 Columbia nurses spoke out and rallied in front of the hospital . there was massive media coverage of the event and the nurses’ stories really connected with the community .