NEW YORK NURSE: June 2010
by Erin Silk
The nurses of St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica enjoyed a day in their honor at “NYSNA Day” on May 6.
For members, the event was a chance to take a break from the floor and catch up with co-workers over breakfast and lunch. For NYNSA staff, it was an opportunity to recognize the nurses for their hard work.
“We were so happy to be able to thank the nurses of ‘St. E’s’ for their dedication and commitment to serving their community,” said NYNSA Nursing Representative Vickie Longo. “They are there when patients are experiencing difficult times in life and they are the ones to help them through it.”
And the nurses themselves had experienced some trying times while on the job. Nine months before, 96% of them voted in favor of a strike, the highest percentage in association history. Longo said their ability to unite and bond together made the difference in their negotiations with management.
Throughout the day, more than 200 nurses entered drawings to win gift cards and stopped by displays featuring NYSNA’s Statewide Peer Assistance for Nurses (SPAN) Program. Information regarding an upcoming webinar series offered though NYSNA’s Education, Practice and Research (EPR) department was also available.
NYSNA staff attending included Chief Executive Officer Tina Gerardi; and Associate Director Eileen Schneider, Labor Relations Representative Bill Conley, Nursing Representative Vickie Longo, E&GW Organizing Director Richard Drucker, Occupational Safety and Health Representative Tom Lowe, and Assistant Director of Communications Erin Silk.
Also in attendance were SPAN Regional Coordinator Becky Eisenhut, EPR Associate Director Ann Purchase, and Governmental Affairs Senior Associate Director John Berry. A representative from Winston Financial answered questions about supplemental insurance.