| | A Weekly Update for NYSNA Members | September 12, 2025 | |  | | | NYSNA Remembers 9/11 NYSNA remembers those who lost their lives during the Sept. 11 attacks. We can never forget the sacrifices of so many frontline workers, U.S. service members, first responders and their families. We honor the heroes who continue to struggle from Ground Zero health conditions by continuing to fight for the healthcare they deserve. | | | |  | NYSNA Nurses March in NYC CLC’s Labor Day Parade On Saturday, Sept. 6, NYSNA members joined hundreds of New York City labor unions representing millions of working New Yorkers at the New York City Central Labor Council’s Labor Day Parade, the nation’s oldest and largest celebration of working people. Co-Grand Marshals Rich Maroko, president of the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council, and Terri Carmichael Jackson, executive director of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, led this year’s parade, marching under the banner “Power in Unity.” Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, New York City Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, and other notable elected officials marched alongside NYSNA members in a celebration of the people who built New York City and continue to keep it running every day. NYSNA members were also proud to march alongside Veteran Affairs nurses from National Nurses United whose union contract was terminated by President Trump’s executive order. The parade honors the generations of working people who came before us and calls on union members to recommit to the values that have always guided the labor movement: solidarity and dignity for all who work. At a time when union rights and healthcare are under attack, NYSNA members were fired up to continue our fight for patients and working people! | | | |  | NYSNA Nurses at St. Anthony Community Hospital Reach Tentative Agreement After months of organizing for a fair contract, St. Anthony Community Hospital nurses reached a tentative agreement with management on Tuesday, Sept. 9. The negotiating committee secured significant wage increases, improvements to their staffing language, increases in differentials and more. Nurses will vote to ratify the contract next week. NYSNA members built support for the contract fight by organizing members to sign a petition in support of their bargaining platform. Nurses then delivered the petition, which a super majority of members signed, during a march on the boss on July 24, successfully pressuring management to come to the table and negotiate a contract that achieved the nurses’ central demands of safe staffing and respectful wages. Way to go, St. Anthony nurses! | | | |  | Private Sector Facilities Kick Off Bargaining, Launch Ads in New York City NYSNA members from private sector facilities have launched their platform petitions and kicked off their bargaining campaign across New York City. Some facilities, such as NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP) and BronxCare, have had their first bargaining meetings to set ground rules. While NYP nurses have successfully pressured the boss to meet weekly, they’re still fighting to secure in-person meetings at the hospital so that nurses can organize a high turnout. At Mount Sinai, bosses are refusing to bargain at the hospital and are instead offering their inaccessible Midtown offices. Mount Sinai nurses are committed to pushing for open bargaining, where they work to ensure nurses can participate in the process. Nurses from other facilities — such as Maimonides, Richmond University Medical Center, One-Brooklyn Health, The Brooklyn Hospital, Wykoff Medical Center and Flushing Hospital — are also in full campaign mode and are gearing up to organize marches to deliver petitions to the boss to send a clear message that they will not settle for less than a contract that expands enforceable safe staffing, defends access to care, protects nurses, ensures every patient gets a real nurse, and wins fair wages and benefits to recruit and retain nurses. While bosses may refuse to meet some nurses in person, nurses are making themselves impossible to ignore. Their ad campaign is live throughout the city at subway stations, on billboards, on the Staten Island Ferry, and even in digital ads on Facebook and YouTube. Nurses are asking the public to check out the campaign website and sign the pledge to support their campaign. | | | |  | Check Out the Summer 2025 Issue of New York Nurse Magazine! This quarter’s issue of New York Nurse features a summary of the private sector campaign launch, an account of Albany Medical Center’s successful fight to secure a fair contract, a 2025 General Election Voting Guide and more! Check it out on the NYSNA website. | | | |  | NYSNA Nurses Attend Brooklyn and Queens Interregional Meetings NYSNA members from Brooklyn and Queens facilities met on Tuesday, Sept. 9, and Thursday, Sept. 11, respectively, to celebrate their accomplishments, update each other on ongoing campaign fights and discuss issues that are important to members. President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, led the Brooklyn interregional meeting, while NYSNA Secretary Michelle Jones, RN, ASPC, led the interregional meeting in Queens. The agendas for both meetings covered facility reports from committee members across the regions, presentations regarding the ongoing contact campaigns, and details on the launch of the common platform petitions for the private sector bargaining campaign. Hagans and Jones took questions from membership and encouraged everyone to get involved in ongoing campaigns, stressing that when we fight together, we win! | | | |  | Register for the 2025 NYSNA Convention: Strength in Solidarity! Join NYSNA members from across the state for the 2025 NYSNA Convention today to decide our union’s direction. The 2025 Convention will be held at Resorts World Catskills and the Kartrite Resort on Oct. 28 and 29 in Monticello, NY. This year’s Convention theme is “Strength in Solidarity.” Register online and enjoy an early bird rate if you register on or before Oct. 17. Check out the NYSNA website to review the Convention agenda and get the most up-to-date information on the Convention. The Complete Course Listing and Continuing Education Information is now available on the website! This year, NYSNA is excited to introduce the Cvent app, a central hub for NYSNA members to access key information and make the most of their time at Convention. The Cvent app gives NYSNA members access to the full schedule, allows them to plan their own schedule by adding sessions to their personal agenda, and notifies members of relevant updates and announcements. Cvent will also include a map of the Convention venue to help members find their way around. NYSNA will email all Convention registrants a personalized link to download and log in to the Cvent app as we get closer to the Convention. Stay tuned! | | | | Calling All Members: Labor Ed Courses and Fall 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 the fall. Check out the updated fall schedule, and click here to register. Contact labored@nysna.org with questions or to request a training in your facility. | | | | Nurses Meet to Strategize about Climate and Environmental Issues On Thursday, Sept. 11, NYSNA's Climate and Environmental Justice Committee met to discuss its advocacy during the coming legislative session. Co-Chair and NYSNA director-at-large Flandersia Jones, MPH, BSN, RN, and Co-Chair Nella Pineda-Marcon, RN, kicked off the meeting by sharing their experiences with climate justice advocacy and the critical role that nurses can play in advocating for patients outside of healthcare settings. Attendees then had the opportunity to share their own experiences before the discussion turned to updates from the city, state, and federal levels, and the committee's priorities during the coming legislative session. Finally, attendees discussed NYSNA's participation in Climate Week NYC (Sept. 21-28). NYSNA nurses know that climate justice is healthcare justice. As practitioners on the front lines of public health, NYSNA nurses are dedicated not only to ensuring our patients live healthy lives but also in healthy communities. To learn more about why climate change is a public health issue and how nurses can get involved in climate justice advocacy, join NYSNA's Climate and Environmental Justice Committee. | | | | Your Rights to 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 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. | | | |  | NYSNA Hosts Community Voices Heard to Empower Black Women to Set Mayoral Agenda On Sunday, Sept. 7, over 100 Black women came together in NYSNA’s New York City offices to set their agenda for the next mayor of New York City as part of Community Voices Heard’s Follow Black Women project. NYSNA president Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, executive director Pat Kane, RN, CNOR(E), and members of the board of directors represented NYSNA. Union partners from 1199SEIU, DC37, 32BJ and the New York Working Families Party; New York City Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani; and New York Attorney General Letitia James joined the event. Attendees worked together to identify the top issues for Black women in New York City and find commonsense solutions to address them. James and Mamdani committed to prioritizing the issues outlined and meeting with the group quarterly. | | | | Join the Campaign for New York Health’s Digital Press Conference on Sept. 16 and Other Events As federal healthcare cuts barrel toward New York and threaten to overwhelm our hospitals, patients, and our communities, the Campaign for New York Health (CNYH) is launching a bold campaign to demand that New York fight back by passing the New York Health Act (NYHA) — the solution New York needs to protect healthcare for every New Yorker. CNYH is hosting a digital press conference with State Senator Gustavo Rivera, labor leaders and NYHA Champions on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 10:30 a.m. to lay out the case for NYHA as the best solution to combat federal cuts. Sign up to attend the digital press conference here. You can also attend the following in-person and virtual events to support the passage of The New York Health Act: - In person-- Bronx NYHA Town Hall, Sept. 13 at Bronx Bethany Church. 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. RSVP here.
- Hybrid (In-person and virtual)-- Dollars and Sense: The Economics of the New York Health Act, Sept.17 at 7:00 p.m. at the YMCA in White Plains. Director of Policy and Research at the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), Peter Arno, will provide a glimpse into his new study on the financials of the New York Health Act. RSVP here.
- Virtual-- NYHA101, Sept. 18 at 7:00 p.m. This is an introduction to the New York Health Act, perfect for those looking to brush up on the basics or bring friends into the movement. RSVP here.
- Virtual--NYHA Forum, Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. with Physicians for a National Health Program NY Metro. RSVP here.
- In-person-- NYHA Speak Out, Sept. 30 at 919 Third Avenue, New York, NY at noon. RSVP here.
| | | |  | Join NYSNA at the African American Day Parade on Sept. 21 On Sunday, Sept. 21, NYSNA nurses will close summer parade season by joining the historic African American Day Parade in Harlem. Join NYSNA members and their families to celebrate the legacy and history of African Americans in New York City! Register! | | | |  | NNU Nurses Rally at Congressional Offices for Fully Staffed VA Today, Friday, Sept. 12, National Nurses United (NNU) nurses across the country are rallying at congressional district offices of U.S. senators and representatives to demand these members of Congress sign a pledge to support a fully staffed Veterans Health Administration (VA) and restore collective bargaining rights to VA nurses and other workers. The rallies follow the release of this year’s Office of Inspector General report, which found that severe staffing shortages at the VA had increased by 50% in the last year. The nationwide actions will target U.S. representatives from North Carolina, Illinois, California and Ohio to challenge them to stand up to the Trump administration’s efforts to privatize the VA. Read NNU’s full press release. | | | | 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 2025/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 the first box, “Yes, I am a CNA/NNOC/NNU member.” NEW fall/winter offerings: | | | |  | UPDATE: NYSED Allows Shortened Addendum Child Abuse Course for Those Who Recently Took the Update On Wednesday, Sept. 10, the New York State Department of Education announced an addendum syllabus for the mandated child abuse training. The addendum only includes the new content areas and allows anyone who recently took the child abuse course to obtain certification by taking only the updated portion of the program (one hour) instead of the full new three-hour course. NYSNA’s Nursing Education and Practice (NEP) is here to ensure all members have access to the updated portion of the course. We are creating an addendum training, which will be available for learners who recently took the training via NYSNA E-LeaRN starting on Oct. 1, 2025. It is free to NYSNA members on the NYSNA E-LeaRN website. Every person who is required to take the mandated training related to child abuse must take either the full three-hour course or the one-hour addendum portion of the training by Nov. 17, 2026. Check out the informational flyer to learn more about this new requirement. If you have any questions about your E-leaRN account, please contact NEP at Courses@NYSNA.org | | | | 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. | | | | 2025 Nurse Education and Practice Workshops 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. You must create an account and be signed in to search the full catalog of classes and register for them at no cost! Based on our members’ demands, NEP has also added the following workshops to our calendar in response to the learning needs assessment survey: | | | |  |  | 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 latest 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. | | | | 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. | | | | | | | | | | 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. | | | | Factsheet: Preparing for Wildfire Smoke Smoke from wildfires has become a common feature in New York State and the surrounding area. Wildfire smoke is far more dangerous to human health than regular pollution and presents complex problems for medical facilities. Check out the latest NYSNA Factsheet from NYSNA’s Occupational Health and Safety team to learn more about how healthcare facilities can prepare for wildfire smoke conditions to keep their patients and staff safe. | | | | UPDATED 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. As of Aug. 29, there are 114 confirmed cases, seven deaths and 90 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. | | | | 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, 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 September 2025 newsletter on National Preparedness Month. 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. 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 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
