Sullivan county nurses approve new contract

MONTICELLO, Nov. 17, 2008 – Registered nurses employed by Sullivan County have approved a new five-year contract. The 62 RNs are represented by the New York State Nurses Association.

Highlights of the agreement:

RNs will receive salary increase totaling 15.3% over the life of the agreement, and a $1,250 cash bonus for 2008.
Additional pay for longevity will also increase.
Nurses also won monetary recognition of $1,500 for the hazardous situations in which they often work.

The RNs retained their Nurses Association health care coverage and won a stipend of $6,000 per year for retirees to purchase health insurance through age 65.

The RNs say these contract provisions will help the county attract and keep nurses, which will in turn help resolve problems with short staffing.

The RNs work in Public Health Services, the Adult Care Center, the County Jail, and in Community Services. They help to prevent communicable diseases, staff immunization clinics, provide in-home services to infants, the elderly, and the disabled, and they help people recover from mental illness and addiction.

Voting was held Friday. The contract runs from Jan. 1, 2008 to Dec. 31, 2012.

The New York State Nurses Association is the voice for nursing in the Empire State. With more than 36,000 members, it is the state's largest union and professional association for registered nurses. It supports nurses and nursing practice through education, research, legislative advocacy, and collective bargaining.

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