News Briefs: July/August 2016

Dominican Day Parade

An opportunity for nurses to celebrate Dominican heritage and support our very own Marisol Alcantara, NYSNA organizer and Democratic candidate for New York State Senate District 31. NYSNA nurses enthusiastically endorsed Ms. Alcantara at the parade on August 14 because of her unrivaled commitment to fighting for safe staffing and quality care. If you live in District 31, be sure to vote for Marisol Alcantara in the Primary on September 13!

Western Inter-regional

Members from Erie County Medical Center, Brooks Memorial Hospital, Erie County Dept. of Health, and Olean General Hospital gathered at NYSNA’s Buffalo office on July 20. They met newly-elected Western Regional Director Sarah Chmura, RN; discussed safe staffing with State Senate candidate Amber Small; and learned about workplace safety from NYSNA’s Occupational Health and Safety Representative Lisa Baum.

Celebrating summer

NYSNA families gathered in Poughkeepsie on August 13 to enjoy a barbecue, music, games, and each other’s company.

Capital Region Inter-regional

On July 14, members from Nathan Littauer Hospital, VNS, Ellis Bellevue and St. Elizabeth Medical Center met for the Capital area Inter-Regional. They were joined by Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara and Schenectady City Councilwoman Marion Porterfield.

LI Fed endorses staffing bill

For the first time ever, NYSNA sent a delegation to the Long Island Federation of Labor’s Constitutional Convention, and we walked away with two key prizes. Marie Boyle, RN (retired of Southside, at podium above) made a presentation on the Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act, after which the federation unanimously passed a resolution in support of the bill. At the same meeting, Yasmine Beausejour, RN at LIJ Valley Stream and NYSNA Southeastern Regional Director, was appointed to the federation’s executive board. Tracy Kosciuk, RN, St. Charles Hospital, also attended.

CUNY settles contract

The Professional Staff Congress, which represents faculty and other employees of the City University of New York, ratified a new seven-year agreement that will bring retroactive raises and other gains to 25,000 members. PSC President Barbara Bowen had addressed NYSNA’s June 23 Public/Private Conference.

Nurses honored

Caribbean Life Newspaper bestowed its 2016 Health Award on three NYSNA members: Verginia Stewart, RN at Metropolitan Hospital and NYSNA Director at Large (above, left); Patricia James, RN, Kings County Hospital (above, right), and Yasmine Beausejour, RN at LIJ Valley Stream and NYSNA Southeastern Regional Director (not pictured).

Supporting our allies

On July 7, NYSNA nurses from Westchester Medical Center, St. John’s Riverside Hospital and St. Joseph’s Medical Center came together to show support for Assemblymember Shelly Mayer, a sponsor of the Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act.

Speaking out on DSRIP

Ethel Mathis, RN, St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica and NYSNA’s Central Regional Director, spoke at a July 12 Upstate hearing about the importance of involving frontline staff in the DSRIP process.