New York
nurse special primary election edition | august 2018
the official publication of the new york state nurses association
NYSNA
NEW YORK STATE
PRIMARY ELECTION ENDORSED CANDIDATES
ENDORSED CANDIDATES IN CONTESTED PRIMARIES, PP. 5-7
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PRIMARY VOTER GUIDE
NEW YORK NURSE SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION EDITION/ AUGUST 2018
Re-elect Governor Andrew Cuomo
B Advocating for patients. Advancing the profession.SM BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, RN, MSN, FNP First Vice President Anthony Ciampa, RN Second Vice President Karine M. Raymond, RN, MSN Secretary Tracey Kavanagh, RN, BSN Treasurer Patricia Kane, RN Directors at Large Anne Bové, RN, MSN, BC, CCRN, ANP Judith Cutchin, RN Seth Dressekie, RN, MSN, NP Jacqueline Gilbert, RN Nancy Hagans, RN Robin Krinsky, RN Lilia V. Marquez, RN Nella Pineda-Marcon, RN, BC Verginia Stewart, RN Marva Wade, RN Regional Directors Southeastern Yasmine Beausejour, RN Southern Sean Petty, RN Central Marion Enright, RN Lower Hudson/NJ Jayne Cammisa, RN, BSN Western Chiqkena Collins, RN Eastern Martha Wilcox, RN Executive Editor Jill Furillo, RN, BSN, PHN Executive Director Editorial offices located at: 131 W 33rd St., New York, NY 10001 Phone: 212-785-0157 x 159 Email: communications@nysna.org Website: www.nysna.org Subscription rate: $33 per year ISSN (Print) 1934-7588/ISSN (Online) 1934-7596 ©2018, All rights reserved
y enacting laws, signing executive orders, and making pronouncements on issues that reach into the lives of New Yorkers, Governor Andrew Cuomo has distinguished himself by his principles and actions. On the all-important matter of a living wage, he signed legislation, the Minimum Wage Act, that incrementally raises the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour, making New York State a leader on the issue of living wage. To assure genderneutral marriages, he signed the Marriage Equality Act, an essential measure to ensure equality for New York’s LGBTQ communities. There is much more to the agenda of New York’s governor. To end gun violence, he inked New York’s Safe Act, a strict ban on assault weapons that increases penalties for people who use illegal guns— the strongest gun safety legislation in America. His recent executive order on July 9 constituted new actions to protect reproductive rights in the face of federal assault. He also called on the State Senate to vote to codify the protections of Roe v. Wade into state law. These laws and executive orders, coupled with his commitment to safe staffing levels (details below), demonstrate a profound understanding of the lives of New Yorkers, including our work in hospitals. He has shown our state’s diverse communities that he under-
Board Member Judith Cutchin, RN, president, NYSNA’s H+H/ Mayorals Executive Council. “The proposed legislation/regulation will give us the protections we need, and, in turn, give patients the safety and quality care they deserve. This is truly a breakthrough for nurses and patients and communities were serve.” For workforce protections
stands and acts on the pressing need for greater economic equality and the essential roles unions and collective bargaining play in our society. For these many and important reasons, we endorse Governor Cuomo for re-election. A commitment to safe staffing
On safe staffing, Governor Cuomo stepped forward to announce his commitment to safe staffing levels for nurses and caregivers at hospitals and nursing homes. He will include a measure for safe staffing in the state budget and make it a high priority early in 2019. This measure will empower the NYS Department of Health to issue regulations on safe staffing, a victory for nurses and other caregivers and the patients we serve. “We know that quality of care,” Cuomo wrote on June 22, 2018, “is directly linked to appropriate staffing levels.” “Governor Cuomo understands the critical importance of safe staffing standards,” said NYSNA
Also on June 22, Cuomo issued an executive order directing the NYS Department of Labor to “vigorously enforce workforce protections.” Citing work through lunch breaks and additional hours without fair compensation, such as mandatory overtime, his order calls for penalty-pay for nurses. As reports came in of threatening and coercive behavior during our organizing drive at Albany Medical Center, Governor Cuomo again stepped forward for working people and unions. “New York is a union state,” he said on April 15, 2018, “and we have zero tolerance for any attempts to illegally interfere in the fundamental right to join a union.” In prior weeks, Governor Cuomo had directed the Department of Labor to investigate management’s conduct during our campaign. These actions helped support the extraordinary work of our organizing team that led to a winning vote by Albany Med nurses. We welcome 2,000 RNs to NYSNA! And we acknowledge the role our governor played in this great achievement. Also in mid-April, Governor Cuomo signed legislation to strengthen the rights of working men and women in the face of the Janus v. AFSCME decision, now accomplished. The legislation protects union membership in the state’s public sector. Subsequent action taken by the governor protects the privacy of union members and gives additional protection to public sector workers. To protect reproductive rights
His executive order on July 9, 2018, to protect reproductive rights, was a response to a federal CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
NEW YORK NURSE SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION EDITION/ AUGUST 2018
Letitia James for Attorney General
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ho could forget Letitia “Tish” James standing ground with us against the closing of Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, a closing that threatened the health and safety of thousands of Brooklyn residents? Her fight for the people of Brooklyn did not end there. Tish James was out front, working for months to keep Interfaith Medical Center (IMC) open and for its full, fair, and continued funding. After all, IMC serves more than one million residents of Central Brooklyn, as the principal healthcare destination for residents of many underserved communities, including communities of color. In the Bronx—the poorest congressional district in the nation— her staunch efforts to keep North Central Bronx as a viable facility for maternal care helped make the difference (see photo at top right). Today, women from those underserved communities have quality labor & delivery and other maternal health services. We recall vividly the difference she made by refusing to allow a substandard for-profit dialysis company to take over clinics at
Re-elect Cuomo CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
government poised to take continued action against the health of the people. With this order, Governor Cuomo directed two state departments to guarantee women’s access to contraception and medication. “This is the time,” he said, “where every New Yorker has to say, you’re not taking women’s rights to reproductive rights away…. [T]his is the state that has always stood up for what’s right.” For many months, Governor Cuomo joined forces across the state, including with NYSNA, to make certain that safety net hospitals are protected, again in the face of federal incursion. “Health is a critical priority and this administration will do everything we can to protect … funding and quality care,” said Governor Cuomo.
New York City’s public hospitals? We kept jobs and quality dialysis care, in no small part due to Tish James’ extraordinary efforts. Her attention to issues is constant. She uses the judicial system with mastery to protect New York City’s most vulnerable in her role as New York City Public Advocate. Stand with unions
Since her election to New York City Council in 2004, Tish James has fought the good fight—for decent housing, against environmental harm, and against discrimination in its many forms—
including wage discrimination. She has stood with us on safe staffing at every step. James has also been an advocate for paid family leave, invoking an understanding that this law promotes financial stability and sustains careers. Tish James has shown her support for unions, most recently calling for a forum of labor leaders to discuss the ramifications of the Janus v. AFSCME case. Who could miss her at the rally against the Supreme Court’s Janus decision? She is a brilliant lawyer and defender of working people. Tish James for NYS Attorney General!
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NEW YORK NURSE SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION EDITION/ AUGUST 2018
Re-elect Senator Marisol Alcantara MARISOL ALCANTARA is running for re-election in the New York State Senate representing District 31. When first elected in 2016, Marisol became the first Dominican woman to serve in the State Senate. As a teenager in New York City, Marisol experienced firsthand the inequalities of a healthcare system that failed to distribute resources fairly to underserved communities. Prior to her election, Marisol was a NYSNA staff labor organizer, distinguishing herself with persistent efforts to expand access to care and for safe staffing. She has taken the core values of NYSNA with her to the
Senate, continuing her advocacy for labor unions and on behalf of nurses in her position as Senate Labor Committee chairwoman. Last year, Marisol worked to block right-towork legislation that would lead to a decrease in pay and benefits for workers. She has been an advocate for paid family leave and the “Fight for 15”—a $15 minimum wage. In the Senate, she also fought for an increase in the age of criminal responsibility—protecting youth from unnecessary punishment— and worked to expand immigrant legal defense services. Her staunch protection of workers and immigrants is an inspiration to us all.
This hardworking State Senator and champion of the communities she serves deserves re-election.
Let’s get out the vote for Marisol!
RNs heal Albany! Pat Kane, RN, for Assembly PAT KANE is running for election in District 61. Pat has devoted herself to many causes with passion and intelligence. As NYSNA treasurer, she has overseen our union finances with transparency and professionalism. An RN for 35 years, Pat has worked at Staten Island University Hospital and supported fellow RNs, recently helping win a new contract with employer Northwell Health. All the while Pat has committed herself to the betterment of the lives of the people of Staten Island. Her North Shore district ranges from Mariners Harbor and Port
Richmond to West Brighton and St. George—diverse neighborhoods where blue-collar workers live. These are communities in transition, struggling for greater access to economic opportunity, affordable housing, quality education, and healthcare. Pat is committed to the district’s sole safety net hospital, Richmond University Medical Center, and its key role in providing healthcare to underserved communities. A resident of Staten Island for more than a half century, Pat has worked on many issues, including substance abuse, the lack of mental health services, domestic violence,
workers’ rights, and recovery and rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy. She knows the ins and outs of the NYS budget and what it takes to move a progressive policy agenda through Albany.
Karines Reyes, RN, for Assembly KARINES REYES is running for election in District 87. A devoted RN at Montefiore Weiler Hospital and a strong advocate for her community, Karines has lived in the district where she is seeking office for 18 years. As a woman of Dominican and Puerto Rican heritage, Karines has special insights into the needs of her district’s communities. which include Parkchester, Castle Hill, West Farms, Van Nest and Park Stratton in the Bronx. These neighborhoods are home to hard-working immigrants—Latinos, African-
Americans, and Southeast Asians. Union support is strong and the need for affordable healthcare and an inclusive economy top their agenda. Karines is keenly aware of these community needs. She speaks with knowledge about equitable funding for local public schools, state investment in infrastructure to address transportation needs, and on the topic of economic development to bring jobs to the Bronx. With experience as an RN and NYSNA member, her call for funding for community hospitals to counter threats of federal cuts rings
loud and clear. She also answered the call to travel to Puerto Rico to provide medical assistance to people affected by the damage of Hurricane Maria.
PRIMARY VOTER GUIDE
NEW YORK NURSE SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION EDITION/ AUGUST 2018
NYSNA endorsements in contested primaries CAPITAL REGION ASSEMBLY ANGELO SANTABARBARA DEMOCRAT
Santabarbara is running for reelection for NY State Assembly’s 111th District, a seat he has held since 2013. He was a proud sponsor of the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act,” and remains an advocate for nurses across New York state every day. Santabarbara walked the picket lines during the strike at Nathan Littauer Hospital and stood with the nurses at Ellis Medicine during their contract negotiations.
HUDSON VALLEY REGION SENATE ANDREA STEWARTCOUSINS
SENATE DAVID CARLUCCI
DEMOCRAT
Carlucci is running for re-election for the NY State Senate in the 38th District in Westchester and Rockland counties, a position he has held since 2011. He proudly cosponsored the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act” and the “NY Health Act” and continues to be a strong advocate for the New York State Nurses Association. Carlucci has stood sideby-side with the nurses at Westchester Medical Center and Nyack Hospital in their contract struggles and advocated for the Haitian nurses who were blatantly discriminated against in an advertisement for a nursing position in a Rockland newspaper.
Stewart-Cousins is running for reelection for the NY State Senate in the 35th District in Westchester County, a seat she has held since 2012. She is a longtime supporter of safe staffing and the New York State Nurses Association, and in May of 2015 lobbied alongside nurses and unions for the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act” and the “NY Health Act.”
WESTERN NY REGION SENATE TIMOTHY KENNEDY DEMOCRAT
Kennedy is running for re-election for NY State Senate District 63, a seat in Buffalo he has held since 2013. He is a strong supporter of the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act”, and the “NY Health Act”, and we are thrilled to endorse him for re-election.
DEMOCRAT
NEW YORK CITY BRONX ASSEMBLY KARINES REYES DEMOCRAT
Reyes is running for a vacated seat in NY State Assembly District 87 in the Bronx. As an RN at Montefiore’s Weiler Hospital, there is no one better qualified to understand the issues facing NYSNA members and act as an advocate for better quality healthcare than her.
QUEENS SENATE TONY AVELLA DEMOCRAT
Avella is running for re-election for NY State Senate District 11 in Queens. He is an ardent supporter of the NYSNA and supported the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act” and the “NY Health Act.”
SENATE JOSE PERALTA DEMOCRAT
Peralta is running for re-election for the NY State Senate District 13 in Queens. As a huge advocate for Elmhurst Hospital, which is in his Senate district, he supported the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act,” and will continue to fight for nurses’ rights.
ASSEMBLY BRIAN BARNWELL DEMOCRAT
Barnwell is running for re-election in NY State Assembly District 30 in Queens. As the son and brother of two NYSNA members, he has spoken at NYSNA events where he demonstrated his support for nurses across New York State and cosponsored the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act.”
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NEW YORK NURSE SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION EDITION/ AUGUST 2018
NEW YORK CITY QUEENS, CONT.
BROOKLYN
STATEN ISLAND
ASSEMBLY ARIDIA ESPINAL
SENATE JESSE HAMILTON
SENATE DIANE SAVINO
DEMOCRAT
DEMOCRAT
DEMOCRAT
Espinal is running for re-election for NY State Assembly District 39 in Queens. She is a strong supporter of the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act” and the “NY Health Act.”
Hamilton is running for re-election in NY Senate District 20 in Central Brooklyn. A member of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committee, he has sponsored the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act”, the “NY Health Act,” and has been a strong supporter of Interfaith Hospital, Maimonides Hospital and Kings County Hospital Center.
Savino is running for re-election in NY State Senate District 23 on Staten Island and in South Brooklyn. She has been a fierce believer in increasing the quality of healthcare, including supporting nurses through the “Safe Staffing for Quality Act” and the “NY Health Act.”
MANHATTAN SENATE MARISOL ALCANTARA DEMOCRAT
Alcantara is running for re-election in NY State Senate District 31 in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. As a former labor organizer for NYSNA, she is a proud sponsor of the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act” and the “NY Health Act.”
ASSEMBLY CARMEN DE LA ROSA DEMOCRAT
De La Rosa is running for reelection in Assembly 72nd District in Upper Manhattan and was the second woman to represent the 72nd District. Assemblymember De La Rosa is a sponsor for the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act.” She is an advocate for immigrant rights and criminal justice reform.
ASSEMBLY RODNEYSE BICHOTTE DEMOCRAT
Bichotte is running for re-election in NY Assembly District 42 in Central Brooklyn. A former 1199SEIU organizer, Bichotte has been a cosponsor of the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act.” A member of the Health Committee, Assemblymember Bichotte has been a strong supporter of nurses and affordable healthcare for New Yorkers.
ASSEMBLY DIANA RICHARDSON WORKING FAMILIES PARTY
Richardson is running for re-election in NY Assembly District 43 in Central Brooklyn. A cosponsor of the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act” and a member of the Mental Health Committee, Assemblymember Richardson has been a strong advocate of nurses and affordable healthcare for New Yorkers.
ASSEMBLY MATHYLDE FRONTUS DEMOCRAT
Frontus is running for the open seat in NY State Assembly District 46 in South Brooklyn. She is a proud supporter of unions and the issues facing the nursing community. She will be a strong advocate for safe staffing and single payer healthcare legislation.
ASSEMBLY PAT KANE DEMOCRAT
NYSNA Treasurer Pat Kane is running in NY State Assembly District 61 on Staten Island. As a union advocate and registered nurse, there is no one more qualified than her to advocate and fight for nurses and patients in Albany.
ASSEMBLY ASHLEY ZANATTA REPUBLICAN
Zanatta is running in NY State Assembly District 62 on Staten Island. As a self-described healthcare advocate, she has demonstrated her fierce support for nurses all across the state.
LONG ISLAND ASSEMBLY EARLENE HOPPER DEMOCRAT
Hopper is running for re-election in NY State Assembly District 18. She is a supporter of safe staffing legislation and a longtime supporter of nurses.
NEW YORK NURSE SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION EDITION/ AUGUST 2018
How to vote If you have yet to register to vote: All applications by mail must be postmarked no later than August 19, 2018, and received by a board of elections no later than August 24, 2018. In-person registration can be done at your local board of elections or a state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act before August 19, 2018. Any changes of address for registered voters must be received by a county board of elections by August 24, 2018. If you wish to cast an absentee ballot: A letter requesting an Absentee Ballot must be received by your county board of elections after August 13, 2018, and before September 6, 2018. This letter must contain: The address where you are registered An address where the ballot is to be sent The reason for the request The signature of the voter Find your polling place: Go to: https://nyc.pollsitelocator.com/search Enter your address and search for your polling place location.
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NEW YORK NURSE
Non-Profit US Postage Paid NYSNA
SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION EDITION/ AUGUST 2018
131 West 33rd Street, 4th Floor New York, NY 10001 5 Western
NYSNA RETURNS to exhibit at The Great New York State Fair this year from Wednesday, Aug. 22 through Monday, Sept. 3, 2018, and needs member volunteers to share our message of quality patient care for ALL New Yorkers. At this exciting summer tradition, you’ll help staff our booth, offering fair visitors information about our successes in achieving Safe Staffing ratios in New York State. You’ll show visitors that RNs are the true patient advocates! Line up at 11 am. Parade at noon. The Buffalo Irish Center 245 Abbott Road, Buffalo, NY 14220
Sign up for a shift or two and enjoy complimentary admission! Contact Rehanna Singh-Mohan at rehanna.singhmohan@nysna.org, or call 212-785-0157, ext. 110.