(BROOKLYN, NEW YORK) – New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Nurses held an emergency rally and press conference late last week in response to New York City Health+Hospitals (H+H)/Kings County Hospital’s decision to suspend a Local Nurse Leader.

A Nurse Practitioner and Vice President of the Local Bargaining Unit at the hospital was suspended without pay from H+H/Kings County on October 9th for advocating for patient safety and discussing documented and long-standing staffing concerns raised by Bedside Nurses.  

NYC Health+Hospitals suspended the NYSNA Member without pay and limited her access to H+H facilities, despite not filing specific charges against her.

Kings County Nurses, Hospital Staff and Labor and Community Allies responded to the news of the Nurse’s suspension by circulating a petition calling for her immediate reinstatement and compensation for lost wages - nearly 1,000 people have signed the petition since its launch.  

During the rally and press conference, NYSNA Members from Kings County demanded hospital administrators reinstate the suspended Nurse Leader and stop retaliating against Nurses for protected Union activity.

NYSNA will also file an improper practice charge against the Health System.  

Nurses spoke about how they had increased their safe staffing advocacy in recent weeks, learning more about using their contract and New York State Law to enforce Safe Staffing Standards.

Jack McShane, a NYSNA Member and Emergency Department Nurse at Kings County Hospital, said: “This is a fight to protect our rights to enforce our Safe Staffing Ratios, to fight for Health Care Worker and patient safety and to organize our Union. This is about whether or not we as Nurses are going to accept a culture of intimidation and retaliation, where we aren’t allowed to discuss and organize around working conditions with our Co-Workers. I’ll tell you right now: We will not!”

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said: “We are talking about an experienced and dedicated Nurse Practitioner being suspended without pay for advocating for the tools needed to improve safety and patient care. That is unacceptable and we are so pleased that Front-Line Staff and Brooklyn community is protesting this egregious act of Worker intimidation.”

NYSNA Executive Director Pat Kane said: “I am profoundly disappointed (NYC Health+Hospitals), an institution that saved New York during the COVID-19 Pandemic and must be a lifeline again for New Yorkers who are losing access to care because of the Federal attacks on health care, would decide to target our Members for advocating for safe staffing. As front-line experts in patient care, we are always preparing for the next health care crisis and advocating for enough Staff and resources to deliver quality care to every patient. At a time when thousands of Immigrant Health Care Workers have lost their jobs and we can expect an influx of uninsured and underinsured patients to flood City Hospitals, the (H+H) Administration should be working with NYSNA Nurses to address chronic understaffing, not fighting against us and unfairly disciplining Nurses for being patient advocates.”

New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council President Brendan Griffith said: “When a Nurse is suspended for speaking up about patient safety and staffing concerns, every Worker in New York City should be concerned. Nurses have the right to advocate for their patients and hold management accountable to the contracts they've negotiated, without fear of retaliation. The New York City Labor Movement stands with NYSNA in demanding (H+H) lift this suspension, respect Nurses' Union rights and honor its staffing commitments.”

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: NYSNA Nurses Hold Emergency Rally and Press Conference at New York City Health+Hospitals/Kings County After Nurse Leader Is Suspended For Safe Staffing Advocacy | New York State Nurses Association

NYSNA-Provided Photo.