(THE BRONX, NEW YORK) - New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Home Health Care Nurses employed at CenterLight Health in the Bronx have finalized a new contract, which has averted an announced Strike.

The agreement, achieved with the help of a mediator, maintains strong Union health benefits, includes improvements to staffing to increase patient visit times, and secures wage increases to retain skilled Nurses.

Members voted to approve the agreement on Monday (April 14th).  

In addition to maintaining their health benefits, Nurses secured longer visits with patients, which they hope will address retention issues and improve patient care.

This new agreement provides three hours for new patients and those with high acuity, two hours for comprehensive care and resumption of services, and one hour for routine visits.

Additionally, Nurses - who travel across all five boroughs to provide care, secured an increased travel reimbursement.

They also won wage increases that will help retain experienced Nurses and improvements to their pension plan.

Nurses have been working without health insurance coverage since late last year when they were unlawfully thrown off their health coverage.

Without health coverage, Home Care Nurses continued to care for the most vulnerable New Yorkers in their homes and put off necessary doctor’s visits and expensive medications of their own.

On April 3rd, CenterLight Nurses delivered a Strike Notice to management and announced they would begin striking on April 14th if they did not get a contract that respected Nurses and their patients.

Nurses received messages of support from several elected officials and community leaders, who publicly called on CenterLight to listen to the Nurses and negotiate in good faith.  

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said: “We’re proud of NYSNA Nurses’ commitment to fighting for what is right and what they and their patients deserve. They refused to be bullied and as a result, they achieved a contract that respects their work at CenterLight and their patients. They won back their health benefits and a contract that ensures that they’re able to give the best care possible."

NYSNA, which represents more than 42,000 Members across the State, 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 Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: NYSNA Nurses at Centerlight Preserve Union Health and Pension Funds, Avert Strike | New York State Nurses Association