| | A Weekly Update for NYSNA Members | August 8, 2025 | |  | | | Albany Med Nurses Vote Overwhelmingly to Ratify New Contract On Tuesday, Aug. 5, NYSNA nurses at Albany Medical Center ratified a new four-year contract, with 98% of members voting yes. This new contract comes after more than a year of tireless advocacy by NYSNA nurses and delivers on key demands, such as enforceable safe staffing, a strong union voice and improved union protections, and major wage increases. The increases establish Albany Med nurses as labor leaders in the capital region and will help to retain experienced nurses who were previously disincentivized by wage caps. CBS6, the Albany Times-Union, News10, Becker Hospital Review, WAMC, Spectrum News and more covered the contract victory. Congratulations, Albany Med nurses! This victory was hard-fought — for the past year, nurses have been speaking out about the staffing crisis at your hospital and its devastating impact on patient care in the capital region. They’ve held town hall meetings and community forums, met with elected officials, and garnered the support of allies far and wide. But most importantly, they’ve proven that when we fight, we win! | | | |  | BronxCare Nurses March on the Boss, Demand They Respect Arbitrator Award! After management violated our contract and failed to implement an arbitrator’s decision, NYSNA nurses at BronxCare have decided enough is enough! On Monday, Aug. 4, 35 BronxCare nurses marched on the chief nursing officer’s office to deliver a majority petition demanding that the hospital honor an arbitrator’s award to pay the nurses the paid time off (PTO) they earned. Nurses are outraged that the hospital administration isn’t implementing an arbitrator’s decision that upholds NYSNA contract language on PTO accruals. The nursing vice president received the petition but wouldn’t commit to action. Joanne Popotte, NYSNA Local Bargaining Unit chair at the facility, responded by reminding administration, “We’re not going to stop until we get justice.” Way to go, BronxCare nurses! | | | |  | H+H Nurses Continue to Meet With City Council Member to Advocate for Fair Sick Leave Policy This week, NYSNA nurses at New York City Health+ Hospitals (H+H) continued to advocate for a fair sick leave policy in meetings with City Council Member Rita Joseph and Council Member Gale Brewer, the sponsor of the Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law) in New York City. Nurses, including NYC H+H/Lincoln nurse and NYSNA Director-at-Large Sonia Lawrence, BSN,RN, are asking council members to pressure H+H to reverse its latest interpretation of the policy, which nurses assert forces them to work sick. They will continue to meet with additional council members next week. Nurses are also continuing a call-in campaign targeting American Nurses Credentialing Center credential administrators to tell them that H+H should not get a Pathway to Excellence designation if it refuses to listen to nurses. Check out this flyer for details on how you can take action to support H+H nurses. It’s time for H+H to do the right thing to maintain a healthy workplace for nurses, our patients and the public. | | | |  | Online Registration Now Open for the 2025 NYSNA Convention: Strength in Solidarity! You can now register for the 2025 NYSNA Convention, where hundreds of NYSNA members will come together to decide our union’s direction. The 2025 convention will take place in Resorts World Catskills and the Kartrite Resort on Oct. 28 and 29. This year’s convention theme is “Strength in Solidarity.” Register online here, or download and complete the registration form here. Check out the NYSNA website for the most up-to-date information on the convention. Deadline to submit Bylaws is coming up on Thursday, Aug. 14, and deadline to submit resolutions is Aug. 29. Read the guidelines on drafting a resolution here. You can sign up for a NYSNA workshop that will prepare participants serving as NYSNA Convention Delegates. Check out the flyer here and register here. Stay tuned over the coming weeks for more information! | | | | Calling All Members: Labor Ed Courses and Summer 2025 Trainings Open for Registration NYSNA’s Labor Education Department is ready to come to your facility to train members to become union leaders. Sign up for Labor Education’s Taking Control of Our Meetings with Management, Bargaining Trainings on How to Become a Contract Action Team member, What is a Contract Campaign, Mobilizing Members & Rounding and more, taking place throughout July and August. Check out the comprehensive schedule, and click here to register. Contact labored@nysna.org with questions or to request a training in your facility. | | | | New York City’s Labor Movement Is United in Opposition to Attacks on Our Communities NYSNA nurses released a statement with our union siblings at 1199/Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Healthcare Workers East (1199/SEIU), 32BJ SEIU, CWA District 1, the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council (HTC), PSC/CUNY and UAW Region 9A, in solidarity with immigrant New Yorkers. “New York City’s labor movement is united in sounding the alarm about the Department of Homeland Security’s plan to ‘flood the zone’ to intimidate, harass and racially profile immigrants across our city. We are deeply disturbed by ICE’s escalating tactics of targeting immigrants at courthouses, denying residents’ due process and civil rights, raiding workplaces, and firing munitions at protestors. These unlawful intimidation tactics have no place in New York City and will make our city less safe. Like many generations of New Yorkers before them, our members have come from all over the globe to seek a better life for themselves and their families. They leave their homes before dawn every day to care for the sick, provide essential services and build skyscrapers. They are the engine of our businesses and our prosperity. Many have come fleeing violence, exploitation, and political instability to feel safe. Targeting them and their families—including by ripping away legal status—harms all of us. ICE’s actions in courts, workplaces and neighborhoods are not in the service of protecting New Yorkers. Instead, they aim to stoke fear and division. We call on all of our elected leaders to protect and defend working New Yorkers and keep our communities free of fear.” | | | | Your Rights and Advocate for Patients When Encountering ICE Nurses’ first duty is to care for and advocate for our patients. NYSNA nurses care for all New Yorkers regardless of immigration status, income or insurance status, race, religion, ability or disability, sexuality, or gender identity or expression — simply regardless. Read our statement regarding the federal policy change on immigration enforcement in “sensitive locations,” including hospitals and schools. NEW: Our allies at the New York Immigration Coalition developed this toolkit to provide a comprehensive list of resources for community members, partners and allies who work with immigrants. The toolkit covers health, community safety, family resources, financial empowerment and more. Learn your rights and get answers to frequently asked questions here to know what to do if you encounter ICE officers in your facility. NYSNA has also prepared this list of legal resources related to immigration. Please review and share widely. | | | | NEW Webinar! Learn the Impact of Medicaid Cuts and How to Fight Back Join NYSNA, AFSCME, Citizen Action, CWA, Fiscal Policy Institute, Indivisible, Invest in Our NY, NYSNA, Strong Economy for All, NYS AFL-CIO, and the Working Families Party throughout August for a teach-in to learn about the impact of the recent cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP, and how we can fight back! Economists and budget experts from the Fiscal Policy Institute will explain how this billionaire handout is coming at the expense of the middle-class and working New Yorkers. We'll also discuss what comes next in the fight for our communities! NYSNA has also created this factsheet as an overview of the impact healthcare cuts will have on our patients. The teach-in will cover: - How cuts to healthcare, SNAP and other public services will impact our communities.
- The timeline for implementation.
- A snapshot of what to expect locally.
- How the tax cut for overtime actually works and what the benefit will be.
- Actions we can take together to hold Congress accountable.
Bring your questions! We want to make this as informative as possible. Tuesday, Aug. 12, 6-7 p.m. — Long Island. Sign up here. Tuesday, Aug. 19, 6-7 p.m. — NYC. Sign up here. Thursday, Aug. 21, 6-7 p.m. — Hudson Valley. Sign up here. Tuesday, Aug. 26, 6-7 p.m. — Central NY. Sign up here. | | | | NYSNA Joins Zohran Mamdani at Press Conference in Response to Trump’s Plans to Intercede in Mayoral Election On, Thursday, Aug. 7, NYSNA joined union siblings from 1199/SEIU and 32BJ at a press conference denouncing the news that President Trump plans to intercede in the New York City mayoral election. In response to the news, NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, said, “NYSNA nurses fight for our patients every day, and we believe New York City’s political leaders need to fight for the working people of this city. We are deeply concerned that billionaires are trying to corrupt our mayoral election and that New York City’s political leaders and candidates would collaborate with a Trump administration that has stripped healthcare, funding, and rights from New Yorkers. We are in solidarity with the rest of New York City’s labor movement, and nurses are proud to endorse Zohran Mamdani for mayor, because we know that he will fight for affordability and a city that will work for workers.” | | | |  | Join NYSNA at Upcoming Cultural and Labor Celebrations Show up to celebrate the diverse identities and cultures that make up the NYSNA union family. Register or save the date to attend these upcoming cultural and labor events with NYSNA: | | | | Welcome, NNU’s New Executive Director Puneet Maharaj National Nurses United (NNU) named Puneet Maharaj as the new executive director to lead the union. This follows a recent announcement that Maharaj has also been selected as executive director of NNU’s largest affiliate, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC). Maharaj succeeds Bonnie Castillo, RN, in both of these positions. Maharaj’s qualifications include fierce and unwavering strength; a leadership style infused with “confidence and grace”; and the clear vision necessary to fight fiercely for the union, for the nursing profession, for patients and for communities during politically treacherous times. Read NNU’s press release announcement here. | | | | NNU Denounces Cancellation of VA Nurses’ Collective Bargaining Agreements On Wednesday, Aug. 6, the Trump administration announced the termination of several union contracts, along with the contracts of our union siblings, including American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO (AFGE); National Association of Government Employees (NAGE); National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE); National Nurses Organizing Committee/NNU (NNOC/NNU); and the SEIU is an attack on those who dedicate their lives in the service of others. This is an afront to working people of America, especially Veteran Affairs nurses who care for those who served our country. NNU recognizes that this effort to erase our collective bargaining agreements is a blatant attempt to bust our unions and to silence the nurses and workers who are standing on the front lines to protect our country’s fundamental institutions. Read NNU’s full statement in response to this assault on workers’ rights. | | | | NEW COURSES! Sign Up for New NNU Courses Free for NYSNA Members NNU is offering FREE virtual courses for NYSNA members throughout the summer. New Fall/Winter 2026 courses have just been added. View the full calendar and register here or click on the links below to learn more and register for the courses you’re interested in. When registering for NNU courses, be sure to check off the first box, "Yes, I am a CNA/NNOC/NNU member." NEW fall/winter offerings: | | | | Med-Ed Continuing Education Discount NYSNA has partnered with Med-Ed Continuing Nursing Education to provide NYSNA members with full access to the complete Med-Ed catalogue at a 50% reduced rate. These are all self-study programs that members can access and complete at their leisure. You can access these course offerings by going to NYSNA’s members-only website here, then clicking on the Med-Ed website link, and entering the Promo Code NYSNAMEMBER at checkout, where the discount will apply. Please do not share this information with any nonmembers. | | | | NEW! Nurse Education and Practice Workshops You asked for it, and NYSNA’s Nurse Education and Practice (NEP) Department is delivering! NEP added the following workshops to our calendar in response to the learning needs assessment survey: | | | | The Importance of Barcode Scanning at the Bedside Scanning at the nursing station instead of at the bedside can seem like a timesaving “workaround.” However, it’s important to remember the importance of barcode scanning at the bedside. Heavy workloads and a lack of staff can lead nurses to fatigue, physical exhaustion and inattention. Medication errors occur for various reasons, including taking shortcuts and skipping medication safety checks. Barcode verification before medication administration is an accepted strategy for preventing medication errors, and medication administration allows nurses to verify the “five rights of medication administration” by scanning a patient’s wristband to confirm their identification and scanning the medication to crossmatch it with the electronic medical record. To prevent medication errors, be sure to scan the patient’s wristband and the medication at the bedside. Any other method is unacceptable and unsafe. | | | | Urgent Health Advisory: Avoid Nonsterile Ultrasound Gel in Percutaneous Procedures On May 23, 2025, the New York State DOH and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued 2025 Health Advisory #10: Non-Sterile Ultrasound Gel Contaminated
with an Environmental Bacterium. According to the health advisory, healthcare providers should avoid nonsterile ultrasound gel in preparation for or during procedures that involve puncturing the skin. Please review the NYSNA Health Advisory in full for more details | | | |  |  | 2026 Seminar at Sea Last year, NYSNA nurses sailed to Spain and Portugal while learning about resilience, emotional intelligence and how they connect to nursing. Next year, join NYSNA on an unforgettable weeklong cruise to China, South Korea and Japan set to sail in April 2026! This is an opportunity to visit beautiful countries while obtaining nursing continuing education credits and learning about the relevant and important topic of artificial intelligence in nursing practice and nursing education. Check out the informational flyer to learn about this unique and informative educational program. | | | | NEW! Journal of the New York State Nurses Association The new volume of The Journal of the New York Nurses Association is out now! You can read it here. The Journal of the New York Nurses Association is currently seeking papers. Authors are invited to submit scholarly papers, research studies, brief reports on clinical or educational innovations, and articles of opinion on subjects important to registered nurses. Of particular interest are papers addressing direct care issues. New authors and student authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts for publication. Read the guidelines for submission here. | | | | 2025 Nursing Education & Practice Courses NYSNA members can take advantage of FREE e-leaRN courses, including state-mandated offerings, standard of practice and certification review courses, as well as nursing practice workshops. Take a look at the complete course offering, and register for the courses directly here. You must create an account and be signed into it to search the full catalog of classes and register for them at no cost! | | | | Calling All Nurse Practitioners The NYSNA Nursing Education and Practice Department has added required and important educational offerings specifically for nurse practitioners (NPs). The courses include new, updated, new and required and mandated courses. Learn more and register to these classes for NYSNA NPs. | | | | | | | | | | Effective Jan. 1: Prenatal Rights Under New York State Law Recent changes to New York state employment law help working parents better navigate work and family and require hospitals to better accommodate registered nurses’ medical and family needs. Effective Jan. 1, 2025, New York has become the first state in the U.S. to require paid prenatal care leave, impacting all private employers. This comes not long after the June 2024 change that requires public and private employers to provide a minimum of a 30-minute paid break for employees to pump breast milk. Learn more about these rights in our updated NYSNA fact sheet and the New York State FAQs. | | | | Nurses’ Rights to Be Whistleblowers and Protest Your Assignments NYSNA members should be empowered with the knowledge of laws that have been passed with NYSNA’s input to protect them and empower them to speak up when patient safety is compromised, either due to unsafe staffing or other factors, such as a lack of personal protective equipment, as was the case throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Take a moment to learn about your rights in this flyer. | | | | NYSNA Health Alert: Cluster of Legionnaires' Disease in Harlem The New York City Department of Health (NYC DOH) is actively responding to a cluster of individuals with Legionnaires’ disease in Central Harlem. There are 81 confirmed cases, including 3 deaths, and 24 are currently hospitalized. The NYC DOH is urging residents in ZIP codes 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037, and 10039 to seek medical attention if they experience flu-like symptoms. Additional cases are pending confirmation. New York City clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for legionellosis among all adults with pneumonia. Identification and diagnostic testing of Legionnaires’ disease is critical for informing treatment decisions and helping the NYC DOH identify and address outbreaks, particularly through matching clinical isolates to environmental isolates. Report legionellosis cases promptly to the local health department (LHD) where the patient resides. Report cases in New York City residents to the NYC DOH by calling the Provider Access Line at 866-692-3641. If you are unable to reach the LHD for cases outside of New York City, contact the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Communicable Disease Control at 518-473-4439. Read NYSNA’s factsheet and resources and the health advisory from the NYC DOH here. | | | | COVID Sick-Leave Ended July 31 As one of the first states heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, New York pioneered a paid benefit to workers impacted by the virus. New York was the last state to sunset this benefit at the end of July. Although New York has ended statewide COVID-specific paid leave requirements, COVID is still with us, and NYSNA members should review their existing sick leave policies in their contracts. Check your contract in the My Membership section of NYSNA’s website here. | | | | Register for Health Watch USA’s 2025 Public Health Webinar Join NYSNA’s Health and Safety team at the 2025 Public Health Webinar on Aug. 29. Attendees will learn to apply evidence-based science to improve public health outcomes relating to viral infections. They will also learn to implement strategies designed to improve treatment and prevention options relating to emerging infections. The conference will discuss the dangers imposed by four infectious pathogens, SARS-CoV-2, measles, H5N1 and antibiotic-resistant bacteria; identify preventative strategies for airborne pathogens; and educate attendees about misinformation surrounding vaccinations to promote patient education. Check out the conference program here. You can register online here. | | | | Long COVID Guide Read NYSNA’s Long COVID Guide to help you stay informed on the diagnosis, treatment options, benefits and rights for workers with long COVID. | | | | | | | | NYSNA Life Insurance – It's Time to Designate Your Beneficiary NYSNA already provides members with a great benefit at no cost: Basic MetLife Life Insurance! This coverage provides $20,000 of Basic Life Insurance and $20,000 of Basic Personal Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance. All active members in good standing represented for collective bargaining through the union will automatically be enrolled in the plan. This union benefit is in addition to any other insurance provided by your benefits fund, your contract, or through your employer. But for your loved ones to receive this benefit, you must designate them as a beneficiary! To enroll and receive instructions on designating a beneficiary for your new Basic Personal AD&D Insurance, go to nysnawinstonbenefits.com or call 1-866-483-1124. Sign up with your NYSNA Member ID to set up and access your account and benefits. If you need your Member ID, please contact the NYSNA Membership department at membership@nysna.org. Download the flyer for additional details. | | | | NYSNA Will-Writing Benefits From MetLife The NYSNA Benefits Fund gives NYSNA members who are covered by the NYSNA Benefits Fund access to personal will preparation services that MetLife Legal Plans offer — at no additional cost. Having a will prevents unnecessary stress and ensures final wishes are clear. The Benefits Fund offers valuable legal resources through MetLife Legal Plans to assist with creating or updating a will with a member’s Basic Life coverage. As part of this benefit, members get legal guidance and unlimited consultations with network attorneys. Learn more here. | | | | NYSNA Members Are Eligible for AFL-CIO’s Union Plus Benefits! The benefits of being a NYSNA member extend beyond your NYSNA benefits. As an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, NYSNA members are also eligible for Union Plus benefits to help current and retired labor union members and their families save money and support them through major milestones, celebrations and hardships. These benefits include discounts on wireless plans, credit card deals, mortgage deals, discounts on insurance plans and more! Find out more on the AFL-CIO Union Plus website. | | | | | | The Talkspace Go App Is Mental Health on the Go! The Talkspace Go app is a great resource that provides daily mental health support on the go! Talkspace Go is a clinician-created, self-guided app so you can address mental health challenges and build mental fitness on your own schedule. It empowers couples, individuals and parents to take progress into their own hands in as little as five minutes a day. Access 400-plus self-guided classes and live weekly therapist-led, anonymous classes. Enjoy assessments, meditation exercises, journaling, reminders and more. Talkspace Go app is available at no cost to members and their eligible household members! Click here for the instructions and passcode to access the app. | | | | Free Benefits for NYSNA Members: Union Assistance Program The Union Assistance Program (UAP) is a confidential self-help program, independent from NYSNA, that is available to NYSNA members and their families as a membership benefit. When an employee or family member (18 or older) faces a significant personal problem, they can call UAP’s experienced counselors at 800-252-4555 for assistance at any time. Read more information on phone counseling services here. Learn about the benefits and resources that the UAP offers here. Check out the August 2025 newsletter here on beating the workplace loneliness epidemic. Statewide Peer Assistance for Nurses (SPAN) is a confidential education, support and advocacy program for all nurses licensed in New York state who are dealing with substance abuse problems. Visit the SPAN website for more information or to sign up for one of its August classes. Check out SPAN’s Compassion Project. Wellness Wednesdays: As part of its mission to promote a healthy lifestyle, SPAN is also offering a Self-Care Series that includes free Wellness Wednesday courses. Check out the full calendar of Wellness Wednesday offerings here. | | | | | | In solidarity,
Pat Kane, RN
Executive Director | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
