(ONEIDA, NEW YORK) - New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Nurses at Oneida Health Hospital held a speak-out Wednesday (January 22nd) to demand management settle a fair contract with safe staffing and a real plan to retain Nurses for safe patient care.  

On December 30th (2024), the day before their contract expired, hospital management threatened to stop bargaining. 

After Nurses marched to the CEO’s office, contacted a Federal Mediator and spoke out, management agreed to return to the bargaining table.

They held the first session of the year this week.

Nurses are demanding clear, enforceable Safe Staffing Standards to comply with New York State Law and wages and benefits that will keep Nurses at the bedside.

NYSNA recently filed an Unfair Labor Charge (ULP) in response to Oneida's attempt to silence Union Nurses.

Registered Nurse (RN) Kim Stark said, “We need to make sure there are enough Nurses to provide care for our patients. The Nurses’ voice in this process is essential because we are experts in patient care. However, our employer does not want to respect our experience nor our knowledge of our patients. Instead, they treat us as disposable, as inessential to the daily operations of this hospital - despite the fact that we are the reason patients come to Oneida. While management thinks they can bully us into taking their offer, we’re here to show them that they’re wrong.”   

RN Terry Delaney said: "Speaking on behalf of other Nurses at this hospital: Our patients are our primary concern. We became Nurses because we care about our patients. We don’t do this job for the money, we do it for our patients. And if Oneida cared as much as we do about patients in this community, they would invest in their Nurses. They would invest in retaining experienced Nurses, so we can deliver the quality patient care our community deserves.” 

Central New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation President Ann Marie Taliercio said: “The Nurses at Oneida Health are on the front lines keeping our community safe and healthy. It's time they are given fair wages and safe working standards!"  

Although the State enacted a Safe Staffing Law to ensure there are enough Nurses to safely care for patients, Oneida management has refused to incorporate clear and enforceable Safe Staffing Standards into their contract, NYSNA Representatives said.

And Oneida Nurses are concerned about the growing retention problem. There are not enough experienced Nurses to train new Nurses, they said, and new hires leave just as quickly as they are hired.

The package offered by Oneida management, with wage increases that do not exceed inflation, would make Oneida Nurses some of the lowest paid Nurses in the region and Nurses believe this would only exacerbate retention issues.  

NYSNA Nurses have been asking for enforceable Safe Staffing Standards, a plan to retain experienced Nurses and regionally competitive wages and benefits.

Last year, Oneida brought in nearly $133 million in revenue, up from $121 million the year prior, Union Officials said.  

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said: “NYSNA Nurses at Oneida spoke out for themselves and their patients. Management needs to stop playing games with our time because patient care is too important. We demand they negotiate a fair contract and give nurses and patients the respect they deserve. After marching to the CEO’s office, and speaking out today, Oneida management should know our Nurses will stop at nothing until they get a contract that respects our expertise and gives Nurses a voice in patient care.”  

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

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

Photo Courtesy Of NYSNA’s Facebook Page.