| | A Weekly Update for NYSNA Members | July 3, 2025 | |  | | | Happy Independence Day NYSNA! On this July 4, NYSNA wishes our members a safe and happy Independence Day! | | | |  | NYSNA Condemns Congressional Approval of Extreme Cuts to Medicaid This week, NYSNA nurses led rallies, press conferences and protests from Staten Island to Plattsburgh to Long Island to send a clear message to Congress: Kill the bill. The so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” which passed the Senate on Tuesday, July 1. And unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the final version of the bill passed the House of Representatives earlier this afternoon, making even deeper cuts to Medicaid than the original bill that the House passed in May. This disastrous bill also enriches millionaires and billionaires at the expense of working families. In Staten Island, NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, joined National Nurses United’s (NNU) day of action to “Fund Care, Not Billionaires” on July 1. NYSNA and NNU nurses, union members and community allies rallied in front of Congress Member Nicole Malliotakis’ office to tell her to put her constituents above billionaires’ interests and vote no on the budget reconciliation bill. On July 2, NYSNA Director-at-Large Marie Boyle, RN, spoke out in front of Long Island Representative Andrew Garbarino’s office to remind him that over 220,000 New Yorkers in his district rely on Medicaid. Garbarino was absent at the last vote, which passed the house by exactly one vote. Boyle and rally attendees called on him to show up for his constituents and vote no as the new, more extreme bill makes its way back to the House. Finally, in Plattsburgh, NYSNA East Regional Director Vicki Davis-Courson, MSN, RN, joined union and community allies including 1199SEIU and Citizen Action to demand that Representative Elise Stefanik vote no on this new version of the bill to protect her North Country constituents. Under this bill, Stefanik’s district is in danger of seeing five hospital closures, a disaster for North Country patients. Make no mistake, this bill will have a devastating impact on New York and will harm our most vulnerable patients. Read NYSNA’s full statement here. To learn more about the negative impact of this bill on New Yorkers’ access to care, hospital funding and jobs, read our latest fact sheet. Now that the vote is done, we must hold members of Congress who voted for this harmful bill accountable for choosing billionaires over working people and vulnerable communities. Nurses will not stop fighting and advocating for our patients, our communities, and our profession. | | | |  | Oneida Nurses Continue Fight to Protect Patient Care NYSNA nurses at Oneida Health are continuing to put the heat on management to return to the bargaining table and settle the fair contract that nurses and patients deserve. Despite finally agreeing to meet with a mediator, Oneida management has continued to fail to meet nurses’ demands for a fair contract with enforceable staffing standards, a plan to retain experienced nurses, and respectful wages and benefits. Support your fellow NYSNA members at Oneida Health by using this tool to send a letter to their CEO demanding that management return to the bargaining table and settle a fair contract now! | | | |  | Online Registration Now Open for the 2025 NYSNA Convention: Strength in Solidarity! Mark your calendars 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 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 Aug. 14, and deadline to submit resolutions is Aug. 29. Read the guidelines on drafting a resolution 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, and Bargaining Trainings on How to Become a Contract Action Team member, What is a Contract Campaign, Mobilizing Members & Rounding, Train the Trainer and more, taking place throughout June and July. Check out the comprehensive schedule, and click here to register. Contact labored@nysna.org with questions or to request a training in your facility. | | | | NYSNA Statement Opposing Cancellation of TPS Status for Haitian Citizens NYSNA opposes the abrupt and unfair cancellation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian citizens. NYSNA is a union made up of immigrants and, along with the rest of the labor movement, has a moral obligation to fight for the rights of our immigrant members and communities. The Department of Homeland Security’s cancellation of TPS for Haitian citizens, who now face potential deportation, will have harmful effects. As a result, Haitian immigrants, who have established deep roots and contributed to our city and state's economy, will now be at risk of having their lives cruelly uprooted. Their deportation to Haiti amidst an ongoing violent conflict and humanitarian crisis will put their lives at risk. Read the full statement here. | | | | 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. 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. On Tuesday, June 17, New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander was violently arrested while asking ICE agents to see a judicial warrant for an immigrant at a Manhattan immigration court. Lander was released that evening, but his unlawful arrest as well as the arrest of Newark mayor Ras Baraka last month show that ICE agents are using unlawful tactics even against elected officials. NYSNA released a statement calling on Lander’s release and condemning these ICE tactics. It is more important than ever for nurses to stay informed about their and our patients’ rights. | | | |  | NYSNA Endorses Zohran Mamdani for New York City Mayor NYSNA nurses proudly endorse Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York. On Tuesday, July 1, he was officially declared the primary election winner with a decisive 56% of the vote after ranked-choice tabulations were run. His inspiring grassroots campaign turned out new voters in record numbers, brought back disaffected voters and built a broad-based coalition inspired by his fight to address New York’s affordability crisis. On Wednesday, July 2, NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN; NYSNA Director-at-Large Flandersia Jones BSN, RN, MPH; and NYSNA members joined our union siblings at Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, 32BJ SEIU and the New York City Central Labor Council to show our support for a mayor who will put working people first. Check out press coverage of the event in POLITICO Playbook, AMNY, ABC 7 News, and Amsterdam News. Mamdani has a proven track record of solidarity with nurses, supporting working people, fighting against corporate interests and investing in essential public services. He has shown up for nurses on the picket line fighting for dignity and a fair contract and has supported our campaigns to win safe staffing, increase funding for public hospitals, achieve pay equity for public sector nurses and more. He built a platform that prioritized affordability, public education, universal childcare and public transit to ensure that all New Yorkers can lead a dignified life. He can count on NYSNA’s support in the general election on Nov. 4. Read NYSNA’s press release here. | | | | NYSNA Primary Election Victories UPDATED NYSNA had strong victories in this week’s primary elections for key local offices throughout the state. Team NYSNA knocked on over 10,000 doors and made over 40,000 calls urging union members to vote for labor champions. We participated in Get Out the Vote (GOTV) activities, including phone banking and canvassing. We are thrilled to see that many of our NYSNA-endorsed healthcare champions won, and we look forward to working together to create a better New York for all. Since Election Day on June 24, we’ve added even more victories after ranked-choice tabulations were finalized. The winners include: - Jumaane Williams, NYC public advocate
- Vanessa Gibson, Bronx Borough president
- Antonio Reynoso, Brooklyn Borough president
- Sean Ryan, Buffalo Mayor
- Justin Brasch, White Plains Mayor
- Jenn Puja, Westchester County Legislature District 5
- Kristofer Munn, Dutchess County Legislature District 20
- Pierina Sanchez, New York City Council, District 14
- Alexa Aviles, New York City Council, District 38
- Shahana Hanif, New York City Council, District 39
- Mercedes Narcisse, New York City Council, District 46
- Harvey Epstein, New York City Council, District 2
- Elsie Encarnacion, New York City Council, District 8
- Shirley Aldebol, New York City Council, District 13
- Justin Sanchez, New York City Council, District 17
- Ty Hankerson, New York City Council, District 28
Our work isn’t over. Stay tuned for more information on our general election endorsements and GOTV initiatives. | | | | State Legislative Victories! The 2025 New York legislative session has come to an end. Thanks to the tireless advocacy of our members, NYSNA won the following victories. Check out our website for more details of our legislative victories here. | | | | NNU Nurses Rally Against Medicaid Cuts on July 1 Day of Action On July 1, NNU nurses across the country rallied against proposed Medicaid cuts at the district offices of U.S. representatives and senators, including in New York in front of Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis’ office. NYSNA and NNU President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, said of the day of action, “The simple truth is that our country cannot afford to bankroll billionaire tax cuts on the backs of everyday Americans. Not only does Medicaid provide lifesaving, safety-net care to patients who would otherwise unnecessarily suffer and die, but it also is a powerful engine of local economies that employs tens of thousands of people.” Medicaid provides healthcare coverage to our most vulnerable populations — the elderly, disabled and the young. According to 2023 data, more than 1 in 5 people in the U.S. had health care coverage funded by Medicaid that year, the figure is even higher in New York where 1 in 4 people depend on Medicaid. If these cuts to Medicaid happen, 7.8 million people will lose health coverage. Read the full press release here. | | | | NNU Workshop: Reevaluating Magnet Recognition and its Impacts on Nursing Practice and Professional Autonomy This popular course examines the effects of Magnet status designation on nursing practice, with a focus on how the models of care, leadership approaches, and management styles promoted by Magnet recognition impact nurses' ability to exercise independent professional judgment and advocate effectively for patients. Don’t miss out. Register for the course in June, July and August. You can register here and check out this flyer for all available dates. | | | | Sign up for New NNU Courses Free for NYSNA Members NNU is offering FREE virtual courses for NYSNA members! 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." | | | | 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. | | | | 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, 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. | | | | 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. | | | | | | | | 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 July Classes Are Here The Talkspace Go app, another great resource UAP offers, is great for accessing 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 July 2025 newsletter 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 or to sign up for one of its July or 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 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
