| | A Weekly Update for NYSNA Members | January 10, 2025 | |  | | | NYC Private Sector Nurses Gather for the First Bargaining Conference NYSNA members at 13 New York City private sector facilities are gearing up for bargaining before their contracts expire on Dec. 31, 2025. On Tuesday, Jan. 7, NYSNA labor bargaining unit executive committee members gathered for a bargaining strategy session to prepare our coordinated contract campaign. The day was filled with bargaining training courses and regional breakouts. Members reflected on lessons learned from 2022 bargaining, issues they currently face in the hospitals, implementation of the staffing law and their contractual staffing standards, and campaign strategies to defend their rights as healthcare professionals. The retreat showed that none of us are alone in the fight to defend workers’ rights and demand safe, quality patient care. Together, nurses and healthcare professionals are empowered and ready to organize to win in 2025. NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN — who kicked off the conference — reminded members, “There is great power in that solidarity when we set a common deadline and then work backwards from there on how to achieve those goals. And that work starts today. Let’s all learn from each other. Let’s share our issues with each other and how we hope to solve them. Most importantly, let’s make our first initial agreements with each other to act as one NYSNA against New York City’s private sector bosses in 2025. If we stay strong together as one NYSNA, I know and you know we can do anything!” | | | |  | Westchester Medical Center Nurses Save Their Healthcare In November, Westchester Medical Center unilaterally made changes to nurses’ healthcare and dental benefits without informing NYSNA members. Nurses fought back with a button campaign and delivered a petition of over 1,400 signatures to Chief Nursing Officer Phyllis Yezzo. Thanks to nurses’ advocacy, Westchester Med reversed its plan and returned all NYSNA nurses, including retirees, to the original level of coverage. Congratulations, Westchester Med nurses! | | | |  | CVPH Emergency Room Members Demand Safe Staffing in Their Unit At Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, over 90 percent of NYSNA members from the emergency room met in-person and virtually to present urgent safety concerns facing their unit to management. They shared alarming accounts of hazardous unsafe staffing, insufficient recruitment efforts, and inadequate supplies necessary for proper patient care. NYSNA members held management accountable, and as a result, the hospital will confirm immediate action on recruitment strategies to ensure that staffing levels would be addressed on the same day to meet the unit's needs. | | | | Centerlight Nurses Fight to Save Their Healthcare Home health care nurses at Centerlight have been fighting for a fair contract for months. On Dec. 31, management unlawfully cut off their health insurance after nurses refused to be bullied into taking their so-called “offers” which would have forced them to pay over four times as much for their health care as they currently are. NYSNA filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) charge for the hospital's refusal to maintain nurses' healthcare benefits in violation of federal law. Nurses are united and have spoken up, sharing their stories with the press. Frontline Centerlight nurses continue to go into the homes of New Yorkers across the city, risking their health and safety, while uninsured. They are flyering at various Centerlight locations next week and won’t stop until they get what they deserve! | | | | H+H South Brooklyn Health Nurses Fight and Win The chief nursing officer at NYC Health+Hospitals/ South Brooklyn recently began pushing operating room nurses to participate in the new interventional department without the proper training in the specialty. Instead of caving into the pressure and risking patient safety, the nurses fought back and launched a petition. Their swift action and advocacy stopped the roll-out of this new procedure and sent a clear message to upper leadership that NYSNA nurses are a strong united force that puts patient safety first! | | | |  | Add the New NYSNA Website to your Phone’s Home Screen! Have you seen the new NYSNA website yet? Check it out for the latest updates on our campaigns, member actions and how to get more involved in our union. You can also add the website to your phone’s home screen like an app to access your member information on the go! Instructions are available here. By adding the NYSNA website to your phone, you’ll be able to access new features in the My Membership section of your account. If you haven’t done so already, register here. Please note: When you set up your account for the first time, the site will ask you for both your email address and the mobile phone number you have on file with NYSNA. | | | | Oneida Nurses Speak Out for a Fair Contract News of NYSNA nurses’ fight for a fair contract at Oneida Health Hospital is spreading! After Oneida management offered its so-called “final offer” and refused to continue to bargain, nurses called on Oneida Health to listen to nurses, return to the bargaining table and settle a fair contract. CBS and Rome Sentinel recently reported on nurses’ contract fight. After canceling their speak-out due to a winter weather advisory, Oneida nurses are planning to rally in the coming weeks to demand the fair contract nurses and patients deserve. Stay tuned! | | | |  | NYSNA is in Solidarity with Doctors Council SEIU Ready to Strike Today, NYSNA joined in solidarity with our colleagues at the Doctors Council SEIU at City Hall. NYSNA Director at Large and NYC Health+Hospitals (H+H) Executive Council President Sonia Lawrence, RN, BSN, testified about the importance of a fair contract for New York City's public sector doctors. The doctors who work at least five NYC H+H hospitals could go on strike after Jan. 21 if progress is not made in their negotiations with Physician Affiliate Group of New York (PAGNY), Mount Sinai and NYU. The doctors are fighting against givebacks and for issues familiar to H+H nurses, including safe staffing and adequate patient appointment times. Stay tuned for other ways to support our colleagues in winning a fair contract! | | | | Celebrate Lunar New Year With NYSNA! On Sunday, Feb. 16, join NYSNA in welcoming the Year of the Snake! NYSNA nurses and healthcare professionals will gather with members of the communities we serve to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Join in the parade and celebration in Manhattan’s Chinatown by RSVPing. For more information, download and share the flyer. | | | |  | Save the Date: NYSNA Lobby Day Save the date for NYSNA Lobby Day on March 11, 2025. NYSNA members know that our fight for safe staffing, health equity, and more depends on our elected officials investing in healthcare and holding employers accountable. Share the flyer and reserve your seat on the bus today! | | | | Practice Alert: Required Completion of NYS Reporting Child Abuse Course All licensed health practitioners are required to repeat the Identification and Reporting New York State Child Abuse program, even if you have taken the program in the past. This is a one-time requirement that each individual practitioner must complete and send proof of completion to the New York State Education Department by April 1, 2025. The course is free for NYSNA members. To complete this requirement for free; set up your individual NYSNA account and be signed in; go to the Child Abuse Reporting Course register for and take the program; download your certificates of completion; and mail them to the New York State Education Department. Here is your NYSNA member ID in order to create an account: please reach out to membership. Please check our flyer for more information. | | | | Journal of the New York State Nurses Association 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. Check out the latest volume of the journal and 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, learn more information on how to register here or 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! | | | | Upcoming NNU Workshops As part of National Nurses United, NYSNA members can now access free continuing education courses and workshops online. Learn more about workshops that advance your practice and empower union nurses. Check out these upcoming workshops: | | | | Seminar at Sea 2025 Join NYSNA on a weeklong cruise from Spain to Portugal on May 24-31, 2025. Not only will you get a chance to visit these beautiful countries, but you will also have the opportunity to obtain nursing continuing education credits and connect with colleagues from New York and throughout the country. You can find additional information in the informational flyer to learn about this unique and informative educational program and details on how to register for the cruise. | | | | Calling All Nurse Practitioners The NYSNA Nursing Education and Practice Department has added required and important educational offerings specifically for nurse practitioners (NPs). Register and sign in here to access the courses listed below: - Updated: New York State Mandatory Prescriber Education Guidance – For DEA Registration No. (four-hour online asynchronous program required to be taken every three (3) years).
- New and Required: Federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 and New York State Requirements for All DEA Registered Practitioners: Safe Prescribing of Controlled Substances 8 Hour Training (a one-time eight-hour online asynchronous program. The deadline for satisfying this new training requirement is the date of a practitioner’s next scheduled DEA registration submission—regardless of whether it is an initial registration or a renewal registration—on or after June 27, 2023).
- Mandated New York State Infection Control Training for Healthcare Professionals (asynchronous program required to be taken every four (4) years).
- New and Required: New York State Child Abuse: Identification and Reporting, 8th Edition. (All licensed health practitioners are required to take this new program even if you have taken the New York State Child Abuse program in the past. This is a one-time requirement to be completed by April 1, 2025, with proof to be sent by the practitioner to New York State by April 1, 2025.)
- NPs and Midwives: Prescribing Information (Req. for Form 2B) (a one-time online asynchronous program for those NPs and midwives who did not graduate from an in-state NYSED registered NP program, satisfying the required coursework on New York and Federal Laws Governing Prescriptions and Record Keeping).
| | | | | | Start Off the New Year by Attending NYSNA’s Labor Education Workshops See the complete list of upcoming trainings, each 90 minutes on Zoom, and register here for one or more trainings. Learning How to Mobilize Members for Union Events and Actions
Join us to learn about ways to spread the word about union actions, have effective conversations, and develop good listening skills.
Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 | 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Welcome to Your Union
This workshop is open to new NYSNA members and Convention Delegates looking to get more involved in the work of the union. It will cover some basic concepts of what a union is and what roles we have as rank-and-file members.
Monday, Feb. 3, 2025 | 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Taking Control of Our Meetings with Management
Learn how to prepare, present the union’s position to management and make sure there is meaningful follow through.
Saturday, Mar. 8, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Sign up here for trainings in early 2025. For any questions or to set up a training in your facility, please email NYSNA’s Labor Education department at labored@nysna.org. | | | | RN Response Network Monitoring Massive Los Angeles-area Fires, Evacuations The Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN), a disaster relief project of National Nurses United (NNU) and the California Nurses Foundation, is currently monitoring the severe wildfires that have damaged or destroyed thousands of structures and caused five deaths across the greater Los Angeles area. As the RN Response Network continues monitoring the situation, and assessing any potential volunteer needs, RNRN asks nurses interested in being a part of the California fire standby list to sign up here. | | | |  | | | Union Nurse Leaders Strengthen Solidarity at the MLK Jr. Conference Union strong nurses are proud to further Dr. King's legacy of fighting for justice, freedom, and progress. NNU and NYSNA leaders are in Austin, Texas this week to reimagine the fight at AFL-CIO's 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference. | | | | | | | | | | 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. As of June 2024, public and private employers must provide a minimum of paid breaks of 30 minutes for employees to pump breast milk. Effective Jan. 1, 2025, New York will become the first state in the U.S. to require paid prenatal care leave, impacting all private employers. Learn more about these rights in our NYSNA fact sheet and NYS faq sheet. | | | | 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. | | | HEALTH & SAFETY AND COVID-19 RESOURCES | | NEW: Health and Safety Alert on Norovirus Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks worldwide. In the United States, it is estimated that norovirus causes approximately 20 million illnesses each year. Healthcare facilities must be prepared to handle patient surges and staffing shortages during a Norovirus outbreak. Check out NYSNA’s Health and Safety Alert on Norovirus to learn more about prevention, control, and management strategies for healthcare workers. | | | | NEW: Avian Influenza Health and Safety Guidelines Avian influenza, or bird flu, has existed for a very long time, and there have been outbreaks among poultry in the U.S. in the past. However, the current outbreak of bird flu in the U.S., which involves influenza A H5N1, has spread the most aggressively so far. It has infected at least 60 people, including one fatally in Louisiana earlier this week. While there have not yet been any reported human cases of avian influenza in New York, it is important that nurses are prepared to safely care for potential patients. Check out NYSNA’s latest Avian Influenza Health & Safety Guidelines to learn more about precautions, protocols and treatment recommendations. | | | | | | | | COVID-19 Leave Fact Sheet Nurses working in New York have several options for fully paid or partially paid leave to cover work time missed due to COVID-19 infection or COVID-19 quarantine. Check out this fact sheet updated by NYSNA’s Occupational Health and Safety team to learn more about your rights under New York state law. | | | | 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. | | | | | | | | No-Cost Life Insurance Benefit From MetLife Are in Effect for NYSNA Members! NYSNA is pleased to announce a new member benefit that became effective on Aug. 1, 2024: Basic MetLife Life Insurance! This new coverage is at no-cost to you and 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/policyholder will automatically be enrolled in the plan. This new union benefit is in addition to any other insurance provided by your benefits fund, your contract, or through your employer. Benefits include: - Basic term life insurance.
- AD&D benefits for covered losses that are the result of an accidental injury or loss of life, including line of duty death benefits.
For more information and instructions on designating a beneficiary, visit www.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 NYSNA Membership department at membership@nysna.org. Download and share the flyer. | | | | 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. | | | | | | Free Benefits for NYSNA Members: UAP Program and SPAN 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. The January 2025 newsletter shares how to make the most out of our Member Assistance Program benefits. Read it here. 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. | | | | | | In solidarity,
Pat Kane, RN
Executive Director | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
