NEW YORK NURSE: September 2008
The American Nurses Association (ANA) has announced that it will refund to NYSNA a portion of dues that the association pays to the national organization.
According to a decision made by the ANA Board of Directors in February 2008, 25% of the total dues payment to ANA will be returned. This represents half of the payment that formerly was sent to the United American Nurses (UAN), a national union for RNs. NYSNA disaffiliated from the UAN in December 2007 and the ANA ended its business agreement with the UAN on June 30, 2008.
The rebate amount will vary each month, depending on the number of NYSNA members for whom NYSNA pays dues to ANA. However, according to the ANA formula, NYSNA will receive approximately $1 million over the remainder of the current fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2009.
The association will receive its first rebate check from ANA in October and the NYSNA Board of Directors will discuss how to allocate the funds at their November meeting. The rebate program has been approved through December 2010, when its continuation will be considered by the ANA.
In a letter to its constituent member associations (CMAs), ANA President Rebecca Patton stated, “I am aware of questions circulating about the rebate program, specifically comments that the newly elected ANA Board of Directors may stop the rebate program from going into effect. Please be assured that the ANA board stands behind previous actions and the planned rebate program will be implemented as scheduled.”
Patton added that the rebate is fair and equitable to all concerned and will allow the ANA to restore programs that had been curtailed during the period of its business agreement with UAN and the Center for Workplace Advocacy.
“This formula assures ANA program stability is assured while giving the CMAs additional resources for workplace advocacy or collective bargaining activities,” Patton said. CMAs that have continued their affiliation with the UAN or the Center can use their rebates to pay dues to those organizations.