NY Nurse: July 2021

nurse New York

New york state edition | july 2021

Contract win at Albany Med! p. 4, 9

president hagans, rn, on “a united nysna” p. 2

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New York Nurse july 2021

A United NYSNA

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By Nancy Hagans, RN NYSNA President

Advocating for patients. Advancing the profession.SM Board of Directors President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN nancy.hagans@nysna.org First Vice President Judith Cutchin, RN, MSN judith.cutchin@nysna.org Second Vice President Marion Enright, RN marion.enright@nysna.org Secretary Nella Pineda-Marcon, RN, BC nella.pineda-marcon@nysna.org Treasurer Jayne L. Cammisa, RN, BSN jayne.cammisa@nysna.org Directors at Large Matt Allen, RN, BSN matt.allen@nysna.org Reginalt Atangan, RN reginalt.atangan@nysna.org Marie Boyle, RN, BSN marie.boyle@nysna.org Seth B. Dressekie, RN, MSN, PMHNP, BC seth.dressekie@nysna.org Flandersia Jones, RN, BSN, MPH flandersia.jones@nysna.org Michelle Jones, RN, MSN, ANP-C michelle.jones@nysna.org Sonia M. Lawrence, RN, BSN sonia.lawrence@nysna.org Benny K. Mathew, RN, MS, CCRN, CEN, SCRN benny.mathew@nysna.org Ari Moma, RN, MSA ari.moma@nysna.org Jean Erica Padgett, RN jean.padgett@nysna.org Regional Directors Southeastern Bruce Lavalle, RN bruce.lavalle@nysna.org Southern Aretha Morgan, RN aretha.morgan@nysna.org Catherine Dawson,RN,CNOR,MSN Central catherine.dawson@nysna.org

Lower Hudson/NJ Cynthia Caruso, RN cynthia.caruso@nysna.org Western Steven Bailey, RN steven.bailey@nysna.org Eastern

Bill Schneider, RN, CCRN bill.schneider@nysna.org

Executive Editor Pat Kane, RN, CNOR Executive Director Editorial offices located at: 131 W 33rd St., New York, NY 10001 Phone: 212-785-0157 Email: communications@nysna.org Website: www.nysna.org Subscription rate: $33 per year ISSN (Print) 1934-7588/ISSN (Online) 1934-7596 ©2021, All rights reserved

would first like to acknowledge the great amount of support received by myself and the newly elected NYSNA Board of Directors last month during the election. I am honored to be your President and strongly believe that each and everyone of us sitting on this new Board will devote ourselves to our members— whether upstate, downstate, or in New Jersey. At every unit — private or public, outpatient clinics, Mayorals, schools, or homecare — NYSNA’s Board of Directors represents you and your fellow nurses.

Many thanks to the Board we succeeded, one composed of outstanding members whose commitment and determination set an example for us all. They handed off a principled and broad agenda, with ambitions that include protecting our licenses, professional standards, and seeking equity of healthcare resources for all New Yorkers.

New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital nurses, 2019

Your advocate My foremost role as your President is to advocate for you and our profession. Your thoughts and concerns will not only be heard, but action will be taken with all of your thoughts in mind. I fully recognize the conflicts within our ranks and pledge to pursue, with all my experience gathered over 31 years as a NYSNA nurse, the healing necessary to reinforce our unity and build trust. When we work together we are an immensely powerful force for patients and their communities.

As I take on the responsibilities of the presidency, I am proud that the landmark staffing bill for which we fought for years has been signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo. What a victory! The law represents years of outreach by us and fellow caregivers to communities whose collective voices were heard. The staffing law is a giant step forward towards our goal of equity in healthcare — “Every patient is a VIP!” The opportunity the staffing law represents is enormous because where we have staffing ratios they become New York State law!

Elsewhere, we need to tighten our grip by organizing within our ranks to create a record of staffing:

Staffing Captain reports, Protests of Assignment, local staffing campaigns, forthcoming staffing committees and interregional meetings. The structure is there.

Member involvement pushes us over the finish line.

After all, you went to work during a pandemic, knowing what that meant, which was exposure to the virus. We lost fellow nurses and many of you infected by the virus continue to experience symptoms months later. Strong health and safety protocols continue to be a priority for nurses as the pandemic grinds on, increasingly infectious corona virus variants emerge,and infection rates rise in some communities. We must do everything possible to protect the frontline nurses and other caregivers. Your care is a top priority for NYSNA.

Equality is top priority The staffing law calls upon us to work with other unions. That opportunity — to create and enhance solidarity with other unions — now has a legal mandate. Again, member involvement is the key.

One issue pertaining to equality for our members is yet to be

resolved and I pledge my total support in this arena: hazard pay for all our nurses. Our public nurses, whose extraordinary efforts helped save tens of thousands of lives in New York, have not received hazard pay. Some of you at private hospitals likewise have not received hazard pay. This is an affront to you and to NYSNA.

Healthcare is a human right NYSNA leadership’s attention to the social determinants of health remains a top priority. Racism is a public health crisis and we join with other unions, public health experts, community advocates, and all others in bringing an end to this unbridled hatred.

We will continue our Rescue and Relief missions, dedicated to healthcare outreach in places far and near. Our frontlines have no boundaries.

Our fundamental belief that healthcare is a human right shall not be deterred. Thank you, again,for putting your trust in my hands and those of the newly elected NYSNA Board of Directors.

Our unity makes us strong!

NEW YORK NURSE

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july 2021

Honoring the frontline

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ur members helped save the lives of tens of thousands of New Yorkers infected with the COVID-19 virus. You entered your hospitals knowing that by that very act you risked exposure to the deadly virus.

The “Parade of Heroes” in New York City on July 7 was an opportunity for healthcare workers to feel a connection with the people that matter most — your patients.

Some nurses felt that participating in the Parade of Heroes was an opportunity to show that they survived this horrifying year of pandemic. That can be an important part of beginning to heal.

Tangible, concrete improvements Yet as much as our members deserve to be honored for their service and sacrifice, what we are calling for are tangible, concrete improvements. Everyone has experienced the trauma of the pandemic individually, but many have not been provided the support needed to recover from it. This must be a top priority.

From the very outset of winter 2020, federal authorities did not put in place adequate resource planning and distribution. This was an utter failure, with catastrophic consequences. How many times have we called for the PPE needed to meet scientific standards? (See p. 5 on the ongoing shortage of

N95s.) Why were we denied a seat at the table, when management continued to put revenue ahead of patient care? At what price do they set patients’ lives? Nurses and other healthcare workers?

Coming up short The trauma afflicted by this institutional betrayal affected healthcare workers around the world — New York was hit very hard. The COVID pandemic undeniably and tragically continues in many healthcare settings. Thirty-six NYSNA members succumbed from the virus and hundreds infected continue to suffer serious ailments.

To truly honor frontline workers there must be transparency in a process to fix an ailing system.

Acknowledging the “mistakes” that often seemed motivated by reigning in costs and putting the demands of the leaders of healthcare industry — including seven figure compensation packages — ahead of the welfare of frontline healthcare workers is a must.

Government and regulatory agencies are responding, but to date they are coming up short. They have yet to fully acknowledge their responsibilities, address systemic problems and institute changes to protect and support our members’ sacrifices, as well as those of other essential workers. What does that mean?

Remuneration, protection, longterm medical care, workers comp and more.

Instituting mandatory vaccination policies without the proper infection control and staffing practices, for which we have been advocating since the inception of the pandemic, adds insult to injury.

It demonstrates that the industry is still cherry-picking the least expensive and more “convenient” science to follow instead of comprehensive protection for us, our patients and communities.

For healthcare workers to recover and heal, we need real action for our “heroes” — their safety and economic, physical and mental health needs now and into the future. We need to listen to the frontline to identify and meet the resource needs they desperately need.

Nurses suffer a moral injury when they are denied the resources and authority needed to uphold the professional standards which it is their sworn duty to practice by. Patients deserve excellent care, unachievable without sufficient resources.

Equity is our goal Our goals are about equity in our hospitals and in the communities we care for. It starts with equity in compensation for all essential and excluded workers whose sacrifices have been all too real. We need a just recovery for all communities disproportionately affected by this crisis.

You are the most trusted professionals in the nation. The time is long since passed that officials and managers listen to the nurses.

By Pat Kane, RN NYSNA Executive Director

Everyone has experienced the trauma of the pandemic individually, but many have not been provided the support needed to recover from it. This must be a top priority.

NYSNA members at the Hometown Heroes Parade in New York City, July 7

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contract victory

New York Nurse july 2021

For Albany Med nurses

A landmark first contract!

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he vote was overwhelming. Nurses at Albany Medical Center emerged victorious after the vote count for was completed the evening of July 1. A landmark first contract is now in place and nurses were beaming. “I’m feeling elated. Having a voice is the most important thing. Our union is the nurses of Albany Medical Center.

It is us standing together, speaking

up for each other, and speaking up for our patients and the care we provide the community,” Lenore Granich, RN, Member, NYSNA Negotiating Committee.

Contract provisions The first contract includes safe staffing grips, a greater voice in patient care and work roles, and a strong economic package.

Here are some details of the winning contract: l A safe staffing grid that outlines safe staffing numbers for every unit and shift in the facility. l Gives nurses greater voice in work roles, including regular scheduling and defined breaks, limitations on floating, and limitations on performing nonnursing functions that impede the ability to provide quality care. l Respect for nurses’ professional practice, experience and com-

mitment by granting pay differentials for cardiac, ECLS, Float Pool, Charge Nurse/Team Leader, and weekend shifts. l A bereavement nurse will be added to staff. l Also, increases educational benefits. Many differentials have been increased greatly from pre-union levels. l Financial security through an immediate across-the-board $2.30/hour wage increase, resulting in a 4-9% base pay increase for all nurses. Per Diem nurses will receive an immediate 10% increase. In addition, all nurses will receive 3% annual increases via guaranteed and merit raises. l A joint redesign and expansion of the clinical practice pay ladder, which will allow many more nurses to gain professional experience and pay.

Continued on page 9

health & safety

NEW YORK NURSE july 2021

Healthcare employers ignore CDC and FDA calls to “Promptly resume conventional [PPE] practices”

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he CDC said it in May. The FDA said it in June.

“The PPE crisis is over.”

“Crisis strategies are not needed.” “Time to return to normal.” The FDA also revoked its emergency authorization for the use of KN95s and other substandard equipment, and told employers to stop the “disinfection” and reuse of N95s.

Then why have virtually none of our employers returned to the “conventional” use of N95s?

“As access to domestic supply of disposable respirators continues to significantly improve, health care organizations should transition away from crisis capacity conservation strategies that were implemented at the onset of the pandemic.”

Suzanne Schwartz, M.D., M.B.A., director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships and Technology Innovation in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

Rolling back protections Before March, 2020 “conventional” use of N95s was the only use of N95s in healthcare. Traditionally an N95 was required to provide care in the context of known or suspected transmissible airborne pathogens, such as TB, with a new one available for every patient care session. It was unheard of to use the same N95 for multiple patients or to continue to wear it in and out of isolation rooms over longer periods of time.

You used it and disposed of it, as with gloves and other disposable PPE. And if you didn’t follow these protocols, you could be disciplined for poor infection control practices.

Although numerous pandemic preparedness reports had warned of potential supply-chain problems with single-use disposable respirators and other PPE, healthcare facilities resisted the move to safer, reusable elastomeric and PAPR respirators. Unprepared for the SARSCoV-2 outbreak, or the subsequent pandemic, but well-prepared to lobby government agencies, the American Hospital Association and similar regional employer organizations swiftly went into action in early 2020, demanding that worker PPE guidelines be rolled back. The CDC, pressured by the healthcare industry, insisted that COVID infection was limited to contact and droplet transmission although there were already many reports clearly showing that airborne transmission was a significant factor in spreading the disease.

June 30, 2021.

The refusal to recognize airborne transmission was based less on science and more on the shortage, and increased price, of N95s.

As a result of fast and forceful action by NYSNA members, many of the worst-case PPE scenarios — using the same N95 for a week or more or not having N95s at all — were avoided or stopped and NYS authorities directed that frontline workers receive at least one new N95 per shift. Still, many of our employers balked at, delayed or restricted the use of N95s exclusively to aerosol-generating procedures, and some even went so far as to use unsafe reprocessing measures to recycle used N95s over and over again.

Give an inch . . .

Members had to fight for bare bones protection during the height of the pandemic, and many went without proper PPE. Now with improved access to N95s, NYSNA members are once again faced with foot dragging on the part of employers. “Every NYSNA employer should return to conventional use of N95s and other PPE immediately,” NYSNA President

Nancy Hagans, RN, said. “When convenient for them, the employers readily point out that they must follow CDC guidance, even if poor.

But when the CDC and FDA are telling them to stop the crisis use of PPE, they simply ignore it.”

. . . Take miles and miles The CDC and FDA gave employers an inch — in fact many inches — of leeway. Now they are taking miles and miles by refusing to return to regular practice, putting our members and others at risk.

Bottom line, healthcare employers have fought against worker protection for decades, even when it has flown in the face of essential infection control practices. During the HIV and Hepatitis B crises of the ‘80s they fought against the use of PPE and the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard. They opposed the use of respiratory protection around TB. In both cases, healthcare workers fought back and won regulations that saved innumerable lives.

We need to take a stand now for restoration of conventional PPE use, and continue to push for a full array of worker protections against airborne pathogens.

“Situational update as of May 2021: The supply and availability of NIOSH-approved respirators have increased significantly over the last several months. Healthcare facilities should not be using crisis capacity strategies at this time and should promptly resume conventional practices.”

CDC Website, accessed July 12, 2021

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election

New York Nurse july 2021

Your new NYSNA Board PRESIDENT

Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN

As your President, we can look forward to building a stronger NYSNA. As we work together, we will protect ourselves, our patients, our community, and our profession. The only way to do this is by increasing our member participation. We are stronger when we stand together.

1st Vice President

Judith Cutchin MSN, RN Thank you for trusting in me to be your leader. I look forward to working with all of you in Solidarity

2nd Vice President Marion Enright, RN

I want to thank all the members who participated in the election. We are excited to start the work that needs to be done to unify and advance our practice and profession. Only through every one working together can we accomplish our goals.

secretary

Nella Pineda-Marcon, RN, BC

We are ONE NYSNA! UNITED we stand for what is right, for our members, patients and our communities.

The strength of our UNION is stronger if we empower our members to become leaders to fight for justice and the common good.

Treasurer Jayne Cammisa, RN, BSN

Directors at Large Matt Allen, BSN, RN I am honored to begin working as one of your new board of directors. There are just a handful of us board members, and tens of thousand of members from across the state. We cannot make the change needed to strengthen our union and our profession without your involvement. I looking forward to working to empower and educate members to make our union stronger.

Reginalt Atangan, RN I am humbled to serve on the Board of Directors for NYSNA. As a registered nurse, we called to serve, help, and heal others. I hope to carry the same message as a Director by serving our nurses and working hard to improve our profession, whether clinically, ethically, or politically.

Marie Boyle, RN, BSN Hello NYSNA Nurses, Thank you all for your votes.

Elections give nurses a voice. I will work hard for ALL union members, for I want their voices heard and their needs addressed.

Seth B. Dressekie, RN, MSN, PMHNP, BC Proud to be a member of this organization. Looking forward to doing more work with this fantastic Board on doing the work of progressing and protecting our profession and my colleagues in our great state. Please feel free to reach out to me by e-mail with any issues that you may have.

Flandersia Jones, RN, BSN, MPH BronxCare now has representation!

Thank you for making it a reality after all these years. I look forward to working with the dynamic team of leaders to enhance the image of professional nursing. Enacting policies for safe working environments to deliver the care that our patients deserve. Ensure that nurses have the right to have a say in the health and safety within our places of work, feel supported rather than expandable. Support the mission of NYSNA to achieve established goals as we continue to build a stronger united union.

“Unity is strength...when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved” (Mattie Stepanek).

Michelle Jones, RN, MSN, ANP-C I am proud to be seated on the NYSNA Board of Directors at an excited time in our state with the signing of the Safe Staffing Bill. There is much work to be done to ensure that the guidelines are implemented in an efficient manner.

Caring for patients during the COVID 19 pandemic shows us

NEW YORK NURSE july 2021

d of Directors where improvements were needed and the importance of having a plan in place to protect workers from future infectious outbreaks.

Nurse Practitioners who worked during the pandemic did so without a collaborative practice agreement. With the Nurse Practitioner Modernization Act (NPMA) being extended for one year, there is still the need to advocate for the removal of barriers that impedes access to care.

We will stand together representing our members with a united voice in leading our union forward.

Sonia Lawrence, RN, BSN Covid has highlighted the social and economic disparities on our communities.

This is the first step towards improving health care for our patients and nurses. Superheroes don't always wear a capes. They come in, giving their all and getting the job done!

Benny K. Mathew, RN, MS, CCRN, CEN, SCRN

REGIONAL DIRECTORS southern region Aretha Morgan, RN, BSN “Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses.

WE must be learning all our lives” –Florence Nightingale.

We have been through so much this past year, more than I could ever imagine. But, through it all, we continue learning how to rise to every situation together!

South Eastern Region Bruce Lavalle, RN Thank you, all 3,400 members that voted in our election.

The new board has a great deal of positive energy going forward. We are committed to improve your working conditions. Safe staffing ratios and bringing together /connecting all our members across our state are just two of our priorities.

Stay well and be safe.

Lower hudson/NJ Cynthia Caruso, RN Ari Moma, RN, MSA My main goal is to work tirelessly for the members. Unity is above all else.

Jean Erica Padgett, RN

Thank you to all who voted in this important election.

Representing my colleagues is not something I take lightly. Please know that no matter what area you are in, your issues matter to all of us and I am always here to help when I can.

Central Region Catherine Dawson, RN, CNOR, MSN I am honored and humbled to have been elected as a board member.

I look forward to helping our union be the best it can be.

During the campaign I experienced some challenges to my family — our slate helped sustain me with words of encouragement and with support — I know we are a great team, diverse and caring and by working together we will make NYSNA even stronger

Eastern Region Bill Schneider RN, CCRN Greetings fellow NYSNA members. I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to represent and advocate for you and our patients as a board member.

Western Region Steve Bailey, RN Congratulations to all the newly elected board members. I’m very thankful to be elected as western NY Regional Director. I want to thank everyone who votes for me and I can’t wait to get to work with all the rest of the board. I am particularly interested to do what I can to advance and improve safe staffing, and Medicare for all. I hope to be a strong advocate for my union family in western NY!

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around our union

New York Nurse july 2021

Hometown Heroes join parade

NYSNA members parade in New York City, July 7

Montefiore New Rochelle nurses build on OSHA victory to create a safer workplace

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ICU nurse hero Danique Wiggins, RN, on the strike line in December 2020

ast month, nurses at Montefiore New Rochelle learned that the OSHA health and safety complaints they filed in the fall of November 2020 were ruled on — in their favor. OSHA issued citations, including three labelled “serious” by the inspection report, and fined Montefiore more than $13,500 for violating respirator safety protocols. The hospital must now comply with corrected policies and practices, even as they attempt to appeal OSHA’s ruling.

“At a time when nurses were dealing with the unprecedented and frightening challenge of protecting and saving our patients during the pandemic, we ourselves did not feel adequately protected from COVID19,” explained local bargaining unit President Kathy Santioemma, RN. “Adequate and properly-fit

PPE was our last line of defense against a deadly virus, and our employer fell short in protecting us.

We’re excited to see OSHA enforce a better standard at New Rochelle for nurses and frontline healthcare workers.”

Continued focus on health & safety Nurses are determined to improve their working conditions and the patient care conditions in New Rochelle. Buoyed by the OSHA victory, NYSNA recently filed another OSHA complaint on behalf of nurses in New Rochelle that is awaiting determination.

One element of the latest complaint involves broken doors to the ICU, where COVID patients were being treated. Nurses consistently spoke up to demand the hospital repair or replace the doors, in order

to control the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus. Instead, curtains were used instead of doors, presenting infection control, as well as health and safety hazards for healthcare workers.

Danique Wiggins, RN, an ICU nurse who worked in this unit, said: “It took a whole year and us filing charges with OSHA for Montefiore New Rochelle to fix those doors.

We told them it wasn’t safe, and we should not treat COVID patients in those rooms, but they still did.

Unfortunately, they don’t think about nurse or patient safety until they’re pushed.”

Strong health and safety protocols continue to be a priority for nurses as the pandemic grinds on, increasingly infectious coronavirus variants emerge, and infection rates rise in some communities.

NEW YORK NURSE july 2021

Albany Med – landmark first contract staffing grid in this contract. The nurses stuck together, and we got this contract together.”

“I felt great when we voted the union in, and I feel even better today,” said Kathryn Dupuis, RN, L&D. “This is a huge accomplishment. We have a great contract, and I can’t wait to see it put into effect.

We’ll be finally able to work together collaboratively and work to better ourselves and our patients.”

Tonia Bazel, RN, said: “It was a long haul, but we did it! The number one thing for me is that our staffing ratios are doable and safe. I want my colleagues to know that the AMCNYSNA union has your back. This contract is for you, it’s for us, and we are here for each other.”

As a leading employer in the Capital Region and one with a history of colluding with other health-

care providers to suppress the pay of nurses, NYSNA is excited about the immediate economic impact the new contract will have for AMC members, and the potential it has to lift standards for non-union nurses across the region, who deserve a union, too.

HealthAlliance Hudson Valley nurses speakout against layoffs

jobs and love caring for people.

This is our community hospital. We are caring for our friends, neighbors, grandmothers. But because of these layoffs, we’re not able to properly care for you.”

Bedside nurses are overwhelmed as they have yet to be trained to handle some of the responsibilities previously handled by clinical leads who were laid off. Regardless, they now are taking on those responsibilities, as well as attending to their patient assignments, at a time when census is high.

Continued from page 4

l Sets up a Labor Management

Committee that meets regularly to ensure nurses’ voices are heard. Also establishes the employer’s first workplace violence plan. l Both parties agree to follow all health and safety laws and promote a safe work environment.

Albany Med nurses will use this new language to ensure the safety of Capital Region patients as New York continues to confront COVID variants.

Safe staffing the goal “The biggest thing we’ve always been fighting for is safe staffing,” said Lisa Case, RN. “We’ve had an incredible shortage of nurses.

It was great to see the staffing law pass, and great that we got our

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hen Westchester Medical Center’s HealthAlliance Hudson Valley (HAHV) Hospital in Kingston suddenly announced its latest staffing cuts to eliminate over 40 positions, NYSNA members sprang into action — speaking out against these layoffs and their impact on patient care. More than 20 NYSNA members participated in a speakout alongside Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan and 1199 SEIU healthcare

workers to raise awareness around the continued cuts to staff and services at HealthAlliance.

Overwhelmed after layoffs NYSNA member and HAHV registered nurse Lawrence Clayton said, “The staffing cuts affect patient safety and the standard of care that our community deserves.

Unless someone is acutely ill, they are most likely waiting far too long for too little care. Nurses love our

Diana Fitzgerald, RN, of HealthAlliance speaks out against the layoffs at the hospital.

Hospital staffing law The contract serves as a template for all future staffing negotiations under the new hospital staffing committee law that NYSNA championed.

“The AMC-NYSNA union is the nurses. This is our voice, our opportunity to work for something better for ourselves and our patients,” said Jen Bejo, RN. “This contract taught me that when you stand up together, you show great power. You’re about to do a lot for each other, the hospital, and the patients.”

Saving mental health units During the speakout, nurses also raised the issue of how last year’s closure of inpatient mental health and detox services has impacted nurses throughout the hospital and patients in our community.

Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan is taking a hard line with corporate healthcare that puts profits before patients, stating that there should be no further hospital expansion approved until Westchester Medical Center restores the mental health and detox units to HealthAlliance.

Together, NYSNA members showed that healthcare workers, elected leaders and community members are galvanized in a united front to make quality patient care a priority at HealthAlliance!

“The AMCNYSNA union is the nurses.

This is our voice, our opportunity to work for something better for ourselves and our patients.”

Jen Bejo, RN

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New York Nurse july 2021

Primary winners with NYSNA support 2021

New York City Council DIST. # 2

Carlina Rivera

3

Erik Bottcher

4

Keith Powers

5 Julie Menin

is a critical year for local elections.

COVID exposed the extreme inequality in our cities. It laid bare the racial injustices and income inequality that harm our communities. As nurses, we saw the harm up close in our healthcare system. Our public and safety net hospitals bore the brunt of saving New Yorkers from COVID, but they were also the most under-resourced and understaffed. We must elect leaders who are committed to dismantling racism, to strengthening our public health infrastructure and our social safety net, and to listening to the frontlines.

This year New York City residents voted for a new City Council (51 seats), Borough Presidents, Comptroller, Public Advocate,

6 Gale Brewer

NEW YORK CITY

7

Shaun Abreu

Citywide races

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Diana Ayala

Mayor – Eric Adams

10 Carmen De La Rosa

District Attorneys and Mayor. With so many seats up for election, it was critical for NYSNA to play a role in determining the City’s leadership as well as shaping NYSNA’s political power moving forward.

Joint endorsements NYSNA partnered up with 4 other labor unions (SEIU 32BJ, DC37, Hotel Trades Council and Communications Workers of America), creating a coalition called Labor Strong 2021. Together we made joint endorsements in 35 city council seats, having the biggest, labor-funded effort in the primary election. With the strength of the coalition, representing over 362,000 essential workers, we won in 28 city council races. We proved that when workers unite, we win!

In addition to the LaborStrong2021 endorsements, NSYNA also endorsed in 9 other NYC races winning 7 of them. This includes former NYSNA member, Mercedes Narcisse, who won her primary election for City Council district 46 in Brooklyn. NYSNA candidates for NYC Mayor, Public Advocate, Bronx Borough President, Manhattan Borough President, and Queens Borough President were also successful in their primary elections.

NYSNA also supported local candidates in Albany, Mount Vernon, Peekskill, and Yonkers who went on to win their primary elections according to unofficial election results. We look forward to supporting our candidates and building our political power in the general elections this November!

UPSTATE Borough Presidents, cont.

Queens – Donovan Richards

Albany

Peekskill

Mayor – Kathy Sheehan

Council – Ramon Fernandez

Westchester County Legislators

Council – Dwight Douglas

12 Kevin Riley 13 Marjorie Velazquez 16 Althea Stevens 17 Rafael Salamanca Jr. 18 Amanda Farias

Public Advocate – Jumaane Williams

20 Sandra Ung

District Attorney Brooklyn DA – Eric Gonzalez

21 Francisco Moya

District 13 – Tyrae Woodson-Samuels

22 Tiffany Caban 25 Shekar Krishnan 28 Adrienne Adams 29 Lynn Schulman

Borough Presidents

31 Selvena Brooks-Powers

Manhattan – Mark Levine

32 Felicia Singh

Yonkers District 16 – Christopher Johnson

Council Dist. 2 – Corazon Pineda

33 Lincoln Restler 34 Jennifer Guttierez 35 Crystal Hudson 37 Sandy Nurse

Council Dist. 6 – Tim Hodges

Bronx – Vanessa Gibson

38 Alexa Aviles

Peekskill

39 Shahana Hanif

Mayor – Vivian McKenzie

43 Justin Brannan 45 Farrah Louis 46 Mercedes Narcisse 47 Ari Kagan

NEW YORK NURSE july 2021

Member Dues Rates for 2021-2022 NYSNA membership dues will take effect July 1.

Dues rates are based on the average base salary for NYSNA local bargaining unit (LBU) members in various regions of the state. Dues are lower for members who are not represented by NYSNA for collective bargaining, and discounts are applied for members in other special circumstances (see chart below).

NYSNA dues are set by the NYSNA Convention, and our current dues formula was adopted by the membership at our 2001 Convention. The formula uses a Regional Base Salary (RBS) to determine the dues for members in six different regions in New York state and one in New Jersey.

The RBS is the average of the starting salary paid to staff nurses at all NYSNA-represented facilities

in each region as of Jan. 1, 2021.

A calculation of 1.6 percent of this average determines the dues rate for members in that region who are represented for collective bargaining and work full time; and 1.2 percent for members who are represented for collective bargaining and work less than full time. Dues are not a percentage of each member’s individual salary.

Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Represented by NYSNA for Collective Bargaining Full-Time CBU Member

Part Time/Per Diem CBU Member

Southern $1,481 Southeastern $1,418 Lower Hudson $1,357 New Jersey/South $1,087 Eastern $1,052 Central $948 Western $1,038 Rate is 1.6% of the lowest average starting salary in the region where you work.

Southern $1,116 Southeastern $1,068 Lower Hudson $1022 New Jersey/South $819 Eastern $794 Central $716 Western $783 Rate is 1.2% of the lowest average starting salary in the region where you work.

Nurses Not Represented by NYSNA for Collective Bargaining Employed nurses not represented by NYSNA for collective bargaining Southern $786 Southeastern $753 Lower Hudson $721 New Jersey/South $579 Eastern $561 Central $506 Western $553 Rate is 70% of 1.2% of the lowest average starting salary in the region where you work.

Unemployed nurses or employed nurses age 62 and over and not earning more than allowed under Social Security Southern $567 Southeastern $543 Lower Hudson $520 New Jersey/South $419 Eastern $406 Central $367 Western $400 Rate is 50% of 1.2% of the lowest average starting salary in the region where you work or, if you are unemployed, where you live.

Nurses age 62 and over and unemployed, and RNs who are totally or permanently disabled (Social Security award letter required) or Lifetime Members** (age 65 or over and paid NYSNA members for 25 years or more) Southern $292 Southeastern $281 Lower Hudson $269 New Jersey/South $218 Eastern $212 Central $192 Western $209 Rate is 25% of 1.2% of the lowest average starting salary in the region where you live.

Retired category: Nurses not represented for collective bargaining, who are 62 years or older and retired and earning not more than what social security allows.

Annual dues are $100 for all regions. **Lifetime Members may apply for dues-free honorary status, which entitles them to receive NYSNA publications and a member rate for Convention and other continuing education events. To apply, contact NYSNA Membership at 800-724NYRN(6976), ext. 285.

Dues Regions Western: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tompkins, Wayne, Wyoming, Yates Central: Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Fulton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Otsego, Schenectady, St. Lawrence, Tioga Eastern: Albany, Clinton, Columbia, Essex, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Orange, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster, Warren, Washington Southern: Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond Lower Hudson: Dutchess, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester Southeastern: Nassau, Suffolk New Jersey/South: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, Salem

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NEW YORK NURSE

Non-Profit US Postage Paid NYSNA

july 2021

131 West 33rd Street, 4th Floor New York, NY 10001

INSIDE

NYSNA

convention save the date

Wednesday, October 27 A United NYSNA, p. 2

NYSNA’s Convention plans for this year are underway. Unfortunately, we are faced with many of the same challenges as last year due to COVID-19 restrictions and enhanced safety guidelines for in person events. The final decision on how to present this year’s Convention will ultimately be based on safety and the guidelines in place at that time.

We would like your feedback on what you would like this year’s convention to look like. Please e-mail MCP@NYSNA.org and let us know: 1. If you plan on participating in this year‘s convention 2. If yes, do you prefer to attend in person or virtually.

We appreciate your feedback and will have a final decision in the coming weeks.

CDC and FDA on PPE practices, p. 5