NY Nurse: October 2014

Franklin Hospital protests

Franklin Hospital nurses in Valley Stream, Long Island, picketed on September 10 to protest North Shore LIJ Health System’s proposed cuts. North Shore LIJ would cut or eliminate Safe Patient Handling and Safe RN Staffing measures, as well as effectively ignore Violence in Workplace initiatives.

The election season has been very full for our union, as we stepped up to assess and approve a long list of prospective candidate endorsements. The NYSNA imprimatur is valued – by us, and by those seeking it. The Board selected 176 candidates worthy of NYSNA’s backing (see pages 5-10 for some candidate snapshots and Voter Guide). Please review these selections.

During two days in September, converging at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan, 1,800 NYSNA members met, reviewed the year, attended a slew of workshop offerings and heard from elected officials. Some members attended Voting Body and Congress. Less than two months from the November elections, there was talk of endorsements and the prospects for new laws in New York – for safe staffing and a single payer health system.

One hundred years ago, women in this country did not have the legal right to vote.

Fifty years ago, African-Americans in most southern states risked their lives if they attempted to exercise their right to vote.

How aware are we of our people’s history; the heroic struggles of so many that came before us so that we could enjoy the things we now take for granted?

I’ll bet at least half of our readers are unaware that the Supreme Court struck down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act only last year!