(NEW YORK CITY) - Hundreds of New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Nurses launched their contract campaigns on Thursday (August 14th) that impact more than 20,000 Nurses employed at 12 Private Sector Hospitals in New York City.

The Nurses’ contracts expire on December 31st (2025) and include some of the wealthiest hospital systems in the country, like NewYork-Presbyterian.

Nurses - from all five Boroughs, working in Academic Medical Centers and Safety Net Hospitals, are demanding fair contracts that defend safe patient care and are united behind a five-point platform that ensures that there are always enough Nurses to care for New York City.

Amidst broader attacks on health care, NYSNA Nurses’ Campaign: Nurses Care for New York, defends New York’s Health Care System and ensures that all New Yorkers have access to safe patient care.

NYSNA Nurses are united around a five-point platform that consists of: Quality patient care through enforceable safe staffing; Defending access to care when patients’ health care services and Staff are under attack; Protecting Nurses, so Nurses can continue to care for their patients; that Every patient deserves a real Nurse; and Fair wages and benefits to recruit and retain Nurses. 

Nationwide, cuts to federal Medicaid and other health care services will result in more uninsured patients and less hospital funding.

Nurses are fighting back to protect patient care and are demanding Elected Officials and hospitals do everything possible to maintain the services and Staff the community needs.  

For months, NYSNA Nurses have spoken out against Federal health care cuts and for the preservation of front-line staff and services at some of the wealthiest hospitals, like NewYork-Presbyterian - which despite strong financials and outrageous executive pay, made unnecessary staffing and service cuts in the Spring.

Nearly three years ago, this same group of New York City nurses secured historic Union contracts that helped hospitals recruit and retain thousands more Nurses to improve patient care.

NYSNA Nurses ensured that as hospitals continued to recover financially from the COVID-19 Pandemic, they invested in patient care and not just executive pay.

This contract campaign means that there are now more than 20,000 Nurses in these hospitals and New Yorkers have access to safer patient care.

NYSNA Nurses are now fighting to protect that progress.

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said, “We are deeply proud of what we achieved in 2023 and are ready for another fight. This is not just about the future of nursing in this city, it is about the future of health care. NYSNA Nurses have been on the frontlines caring for patients while fighting to protect access to care. We have to hold our bosses’ feet to the fire. We cannot allow some of the richest and most financially stable hospital systems to use Federal cuts as an excuse to cut Staff and services. We cannot allow hospital executives to eat steak and lobster while our units are being starved of Nurses. Safe patient care is far too important.”    

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Hundreds of NYSNA Nurses Gathered to Launch NYC Private Sector Contract Campaign to Defend NYC's Healthcare | New York State Nurses Association

Photo Courtesy Of NYSNA’s Facebook Page.