Nationally

the medications were given out. We even had one patient share how amazing it was. This is what can happen when we have safe staffing all the time. Nurses and patients deserve that.”

As lawmakers wrap up the 2023 legislative session, nurses are keeping up the pressure to ensure nurses’ and patients’ priorities are always front and center. There are no better advocates for patients than nurses working on the frontlines of healthcare.

NYsNA and NNu Nurses Advocate on Capitol Hill

NYSNA’s affiliation with National Nurses United (NNU) means we have a stronger, more powerful voice to advocate for issues that affect nurses and patients from coast to coast. In just a few months, we are already showing that power.

NNU commemorated Nurses Week with a lobbying blitz with over 90 members of Congress from across the country. NYSNA nurses participated in the lobby week and advocated for our legislative priorities such as the Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act and the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act.

NYSNA Director at Large and Flushing Hospital nurse Michelle Jones, RN, said: “We need to focus on the stabilization of the nursing workforce. That includes enacting federal nurse-to-patient ratios for recruitment and retention and the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act that will protect nurses and improve working conditions. With NYSNA and NNU lobbying together, we are stronger together with one voice. Our collective power gives us the tools to advocate for improved working conditions and better care for our patients.”

“I joined NYSNA and NNU’s lobby day to advocate at the national level for safe staffing standards set by law,” said NewYorkPresbyterian nurse Beth Loudin, RN. “Many of our lawmakers have only been hearing from the hospital lobby about how to fix the staff-

Voter Information

Our endorsed candidates share our vision for a strong pandemic response, a sustainable economic recovery and a more just new York City. Check out nYsnA endorsements for the June 27 new York City primary at www. nysna.org/endorsements.

Important Dates

June 12: deadline to apply online or by mail for an absentee ballot

June 17: deadline to register to vote ing crisis — the lawmakers need to hear it from us!”

After the lobby week, nurses weren’t done. Union nurses traveled to Washington, D.C., to introduce two more pieces of legislation: FAMILY Act and Medicare for All. The FAMILY Act, sponsored by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), would establish the first national paid family and medical leave program in the country, ensuring that every worker has access to paid leave for every serious medical event. Medicare for All, sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), would guarantee free healthcare for all in the country.

Advocating for Healthcare for All

The night before Medicare for All was introduced to Congress, Hagans, also NNU co-president, was a featured speaker at the Medicare for All town hall that Sanders and Jayapal hosted.

“In my 35 years working as a nurse, I’ve seen a lot of patients suffer because they didn’t have health insurance,” said Hagans. “I’ve seen a lot of patients who have health insurance but who couldn’t afford the costs of high deductibles and copays, so they didn’t get the care they needed. The current system discriminates based on your ability to pay, what kind of job you have or if you have a job at all. It’s a disgrace. As a nurse for more than three decades, I know without any doubt — we must have Medicare for All.”

We are proud of all the nurses who spoke up for patient safety, and we look forward to working with NNU in future lobbying efforts to ensure the nurse profession is respected, protected and prioritized in federal legislation.

NY Nurses Vote

June 27 is the New York local primary election! Our ability to strengthen the public health infrastructure and social safety net and take action to support frontline workers depends on electing candidates who support nurses, healthcare professionals and our communities.

There are several competitive local elections in New York City that NYSNA is monitoring closely. NYSNA has endorsed several candidates who would strengthen a pro-worker majority in the New York City Council and is teaming up again with four other unions as the Labor Strong Coalition.

Our endorsed candidates share our vision for a strong pandemic response, a sustainable economic recovery and a more just New York City. Check out NYSNA endorsements for the June 27 New York City primary at www.nysna.org/ endorsements

June 17-25: early voting period for the primary election

June 26: deadline to apply in person for an absentee ballot

June 27: primary Election Day nov. 7: general Election Day

Make sure you’re registered to vote! Check your voter registration status or find more information at the new York state Board of Election’s online portal: https://voterlookup.elections. ny.gov/

NYsNA membership dues will take effect July 1.

Dues rates are based on the average base salary for NYSNA local bargaining unit (LBU) members in various regions of the state. Dues are lower for members who are not represented by NYSNA for collective bargaining, and discounts are applied for members in other special circumstances (see charts at right).

NYSNA dues are computed according to a formula approved by the members at the 2001 Voting Body. The formula uses a Regional Base Salary (RBS) to determine the dues for members in six different regions in New York state and one in New Jersey.

The RBS is the average of the starting salary paid to staff nurses at all NYSNA-represented facilities in each region as of Jan. 1, 2023. A calculation of 1.6 percent of this average determines the dues rate for members in that region who are represented for collective bargaining and work full time; and 1.2 percent for members who are represented for collective bargaining and work less than full time. Dues are not a percentage of each member’s individual salary.

The average dues increase is $2.81 per biweekly paycheck.