(STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK) - New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Nurses employed at Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH)/Northwell reached a tentative contract agreement on Saturday (March 30th) after bargaining through the night, averting a looming Tuesday (April 2nd) Strike.

The agreement features improvements to Safe Staffing Standards and stronger safe staffing enforcement, said Union Officials, who added it also adds Nurse staffing on Units that need help, as well as an expedited process for creating staffing standards in new Units.

On another front, NYSNA Representatives said the wage increases Nurses won in the tentative agreement bring SIUH Nurse pay up on par with other New York City Private Sector Nurse wages.

Over the three-year life of the contract, wage increases total 22.12% and include annual pay increases, market adjustment pay and experience pay.

NYSNA Members will begin a ratification vote on Wednesday (April 3rd).

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said: “Staten Island Nurses and patients deserve the same high standards as the rest of New York City.  Congratulations to SIUH-NYSNA Nurses for their fierce patient advocacy.”

Last week, SIUH/Northwell Nurses gained the support of 26 Labor Unions that signed a joint solidarity letter.

The signers included the Communications Workers of America (CWA), 32BJ Service Employees International Union (SEIU), American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 37 and Teamsters Local 804.

All called on Northwell to settle a fair contract with Nurses and to protect care for Staten Island.

On March 13, the NYSNA-represented Nurses held a speak-out in front of the hospital and announced they had voted in favor of authorizing a Strike by more than 97%.

The Strike Authorization Vote came on the heels of overwhelming Strike Votes at other NYSNA-represented facilities, including most recently Northwell Long Island Jewish Valley Stream, Peconic Bay Medical Center, and South Shore University Hospital on Long Island.

Those Northwell Hospitals settled fair contracts with NYSNA Nurses and averted Strikes.

Approximately 1,300 Registered Nurses work at SIUH/Northwell.

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

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

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: STRIKE AVERTED AS STATEN ISLAND UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL/ NORTHWELL NURSES REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT | New York State Nurses Association (nysna.org)