FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, Feb. 16, 2024
Contact: Kristi Barnes | press@nysna.org | 646-853-4489
Diana Moreno | press@nysna.org | 917-327-2302
NORTHWELL PECONIC BAY HEALTHCARE WORKERS REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT
NYSNA Members to Vote on Tentative Agreement Tuesday, Feb. 20
Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Nurses Call on Northwell to Settle a Fair Contract to Avert Strike
Riverhead, N.Y.— New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) nurses and healthcare professionals at Peconic Bay Medical Center/Northwell Health reached a tentative contract agreement yesterday after a marathon bargaining session that began on Wednesday. Members will now vote on whether to ratify the contract on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
The tentative agreement includes improvements to safe staffing standards, stronger and expedited safe staffing enforcement, protection of NYSNA health and pension benefits, and major wage increases. More details about the agreement will be released pending ratification.
Nurses at Long Island Jewish (LIJ)/Valley Stream/Northwell were also at the bargaining table yesterday but were unable to reach a tentative agreement. With a strike deadline of Feb. 21 looming, NYSNA nurses are calling on Northwell to settle a fair contract that respects nurses and the Valley Stream community.
Although Northwell negotiators agreed to substantial wage increases at Peconic, they rejected fair wage increases at Valley Stream, saying the workers and community were “characteristically different.” They also refused to improve safe staffing standards—which are now lower and less safe than the standards at Peconic Bay and other Northwell facilities.
Sandra Armstrong, RN, a veteran nurse leader at LIJ Valley Stream said, “We know exactly what they mean when Northwell administrators use that kind of language because we have heard it before. They used to say ‘demographics,’ and now they are saying ‘characteristically different.’ Our nursing community and the patients we serve are very diverse. We have more people of color working at LIJ Valley Stream than in other Northwell hospitals, and the community we serve has more people of color and low-income patients. So that’s why Northwell won’t deliver safe staffing and fair pay here? I think it’s despicable that they would disrespect and discriminate in this way.”
Northwell also threatened to lock union nurses out if they strike on Feb. 21. NYSNA is filing unfair labor practice charges about this potentially unlawful threat, meant to intimidate and silence our members.
NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, said: "Congratulations to our members at Peconic Bay, who fought hard for the safe staffing and fair wages they deserve. Now it’s time for Northwell to come to the table and deliver a fair contract for our Nassau County nurses and patients. Nurses and patients everywhere deserve safe staffing and fair wages to ensure quality care—regardless of zip code, regardless of race, income, immigration status, or any other characteristic. Shame on Northwell for stating anything different. NYSNA is ready to bargain at any time.”
Chris Honor, RN, BSN, CAPA, local president at Peconic Bay and NYSNA Southeastern Regional Director, said: “Our NYSNA negotiating committee worked hard on this tentative agreement and are proud of the safe staffing improvements and the fact that it will take us from some of the lowest paid healthcare workers on Long Island to being competitive with other hospitals. That will help us hire and retain enough nurses to provide quality care—our No. 1 goal as nurses and healthcare professionals. We are 100% in solidarity with our union siblings at LIJ Valley Stream, who deserve respect and a fair contract, too. Northwell should invest in quality care in every hospital and every community they serve."
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The New York State Nurses Association represents more than 42,000 members in New York State. We are New York’s largest union and professional association for registered nurses. NYSNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United, AFL-CIO, the country's largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses, with more than 225,000 members nationwide.
