At its meeting on November 28, the Board of Directors asked outside counsel to conduct a comprehensive review and investigation of the protests filed with the Election Committee concerning the 2011 NYSNA Officer Elections. Counsel has completed that task. The Board, acting through its Executive Committee, issued a report today that concludes, based on counsel’s review and investigation, that the election and appeals committees were improperly constituted when they issued their decisions. The Report further finds that “there are no proper grounds for overturning or rerunning the elections. The candidates who received the most votes for the offices in question did not, as alleged in certain protests, receive improper assistance from outside labor organizations to promote their candidacies. Rather, the campaign-related conduct alleged to have constituted a violation of law and NYSNA policy was entirely permissible and indeed was an exercise of union member free speech and petitioning activity protected by the federal statute that regulates union elections.” A copy of the full report is available below. The Board’s final decision on the protests will be made at its next meeting in January.
The New York State Nurses Association is the voice for nursing in the Empire State. With more than 37,000 members, it is New York’s largest professional association and union for registered nurses. The association represents registered nurses, and some all-professional bargaining units, in New York and New Jersey. It supports nurses and nursing practice through education, research, legislative advocacy, and collective bargaining.