NYSNA Nurses at Oneida Health Picket for a Fair Contract
NYSNA nurses at Oneida Health have been fighting to protect safe, quality patient care in their community, and for the fair contract that nurses and patients deserve. Historically, nurses at Oneida Health have been among the lowest paid in the region, and that’s led to serious problems at the hospital when it comes to nurse recruitment and retention.
On Wednesday, March 19, NYSNA nurses held an informational picket to demand that management return to bargaining in person, negotiate in good faith, and settle a fair contract with safe staffing and a real plan to retain nurses for safe patient care. NYSNA members were joined by labor allies from the Central New York Area Labor Federation members, Central New York Labor Council members, and 1199SEIU.
See coverage of the picket on WKTV News Channel 2 and ABC News Channel 9.
Management has been unwilling to work with nurses to settle a contract. In late December, they issued a “last, best, and final” offer to nurses before walking away from the bargaining table. Nurses were forced to hold a speak-out and engage a federal mediator in order to get management to return to negotiations. Nurses also filed an unfair labor practice charge against management in February for refusing to bargain in person.
Despite these hurdles, nurses have continued to work under an expired contract since February 28. They remain committed to providing safe, quality patient care to their community while fighting for the contract they deserve.
Kim Stark, a NYSNA member and nurse at Oneida Health, said, “Management refuses to take safe patient care seriously and shows that in bargaining. Our patients are coming in sicker than ever. We have said time and time again, we need a contract that nurses, patients, and this community deserves.”
Show your support for the NYSNA nurses at Oneida Health by sending their CEO a message demanding that Oneida Heatlh stop putting profits over patients and invest in the health of their community!