(NEW YORK CITY) - New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Nurses have voted to endorse their new contract with NYC Health+Hospitals (H+H)/Mayoral Agencies and the City of New York.  The contract package includes a Binding Arbitration Award for pay parity and safe staffing, several agreements to improve Nurse retention and work life, and the creation of a City-wide Nurse Float Pool to improve staffing and reduce the overreliance on expensive temporary Travel Nurse contracts, NYSNA Representatives sad.

Approximately 8,000 NYSNA-represented Nurses employed at NYC Health+Hospitals facilities and Mayoral Agencies had been in negotiations for a new contract since February 14th (2023).  

The new five-and-a-half-year contract was hard-fought and comes after many months of speaking out and escalated actions.  Negotiations began on February 14th, and in July, the parties entered expedited mediation and then impasse arbitration.  An Arbitrator delivered the binding award on July 31st, making pay parity salary increases effective on that date.

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, a Registered Nurse (RN) herself, said: “Members made their voices heard in this endorsement vote, and they are elated.  The skeptics said that New York City Public Sector Nurses could never win pay parity, but our Members showed up, showed out, and showed this City that they deserve respect and that their patients deserve respect.  This is a new day for New York City's Nurses and patients.”

NYSNA Executive Director Pat Kane, an RN, said: “NYC H+H and Mayoral Nurses have a mission to care for all New Yorkers - regardless of ability to pay or Immigration status.  This contract gives them the resources to deliver the highest quality care, because equitable pay and improved safe staffing ratios and enforcement will mean there will be more Nurses at the bedside to deliver quality care to patients.  This is a huge victory for Public Sector Nurses and patients, and it continues our Union’s winning streak in contract fights around the State.”

Highlights of the new contract include: Two years of pay parity wage increases, effective 7/31/23.  The awarded payments of $16,006 in year one and $5,551 in year two bring Public Sector salaries up to par with New York City Private Sector Nurse salaries; Salary increases of 3%, 3% and 3.25% in years three, four and five of the contract that when combined with the parity award total an increase of at least 37% over the life of the contract for all Full-Time Members; Improved staffing ratios and new staffing ratios that will be expanded beyond the 11 Acute Care Hospitals into other RN settings; Improved staffing enforcement, including a new Staffing Subcommittee, an expanded pool of mediators to hear and resolve staffing disputes, and a fact-finding process if the parties fail to reach agreement on mediation; and A new system-wide Nurse Float Pool to improve staffing throughout the hospitals and reduce Nurse floating and use of expensive Temp Travel Nurses.

NYSNA, which represents more than 42,000 Members across the State, is New York’s largest Union and Professional Association for RNs.

NYSNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United, the country's largest and fastest-growing Union and Professional Association of RNs, with more than 225,000 Members nationwide.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: 99% of NYC Public Hospital Nurses Vote Yes to Endorse Contract | New York State Nurses Association (nysna.org)