NYSNa Nurses ratify contract at Northwell Health’s South Shore University Hospital

after approximately 99% of NYSNA nurses voted to authorize a strike at Northwell Health’s South Shore University Hospital, and months of negotiations, NYSNA healthcare professionals ratified a new contract.

Nearly 800 NYSNA nurses work at the hospital. As part of the new contract, NYSNA nurses won improvements to safe staffing standards, including expedited arbitration of staffing disputes to enforce new standards. They also won an average 18.65% salary increase over the life of the threeyear contract, including experience pay which will help with retaining nurses. The contract also includes the addition of Juneteenth as a paid holiday and improvement to retiree health benefits.

The nurses’ contract expired on Feb. 28, 2022, and nurses were in negotiations with the hospital for nearly a year. NYSNA members became frustrated with the progress of negotiations, understanding that patient care suffers when nurses experience poor working conditions and instability on the job.

We Fought and Won

This experience was one more reminder that when we fight, we win. Nurses shared their reactions below:

“Nurses fought for the care our patients deserve, and we won,” said NYSNA local president at South Shore University Hospital Chrysse Blau, RN. “The new safe staffing standards and salary increases mean more nurses will choose to come and stay at South Shore, it means more nurses at the bedside when our patients need us most, and most importantly, it means we get to practice safely and with the dignity and respect we deserve.”

“We are so relieved,” said Labor and delivery nurse at South Shore Arielle Shea, RN. “None of us wanted to strike, we simply wanted our voices to be heard. This contract is a testament to what nurses can achieve when we fight together.

I’m so proud of my colleagues for standing up for our profession, for each other, and for our patients.

As a new mom myself, I’m excited to return to work knowing I will be able to provide excellent care to parents-to-be because of the improved staffing standards in our unit.”

“Whether you’re a nurse in New York City, Long Island, or Upstate, you deserve respect and fair pay that will help hospitals recruit and retain a safe number of nurses at the bedside,” NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN. “NYSNA nurses advocate for safe, quality care for every community, and all 42,000 members of NYSNA are in solidarity with our South Shore Northwell nurses. We are proud they fought and won a fair contract for nurses and patients.”