Northwell Health/South Shore University Hospital Nurses Vote 99% YES to Authorize Unfair Labor Practice Strike
For immediate release: Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025
Contact: Andrea Penman-Lomeli | press@nysna.org | 347-559-3169
Diana Moreno | press@nysna.org | 917-327-2302
NORTHWELL HEALTH/SOUTH SHORE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL NURSES VOTE 99% YES TO AUTHORIZE UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE STRIKE
Nurses are demanding Northwell negotiate a fair contract with safe staffing, improved wages and benefits and a voice in patient care.
Instead of prioritizing negotiating with nurses, Northwell has retaliated against patient advocates.
Bay Shore, N.Y. -- New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) nurses at Northwell Health/South Shore University Hospital gathered today outside the hospital to demand Northwell negotiate and settle a fair contract. For months, they have been fighting for a fair contract with safe staffing, improved wages and benefits that will help recruit and retain nurses, and a voice in patient care. 99% of nurses voted yes to authorize an unfair labor practice strike earlier this week.
Nurses are pushing to improve staffing in areas such as the emergency department and labor and delivery unit and asking Northwell to hire more nurses to cover sick calls to maintain safe staffing at all times. Understaffing is especially bad when nurses go on break and managers do not assign break relief nurses to ensure safe staffing standards are maintained for patients. In a poll conducted in July/August 2024, nurses reported that they did not have break coverage on over 61% of shifts.
Local union president Joanne DeAntonio, RN BSN CEN, said: “The patients we see are sicker and our emergency room is dramatically busier. Despite the increase in demands, Northwell has refused to hire more nurses and work to retain the experienced nurses that are already here. As a Level 1 trauma center, the level of care the hospital is able to provide is essential to a much broader community. We will continue to speak up until we get what nurses and this community deserves.”
Northwell/South Shore was designated a Level 1 trauma center in August of last year. It receives patients with high acuity from all over the region—from Mather Hospital to Peconic Bay Medical Center.
Jenna Kuhn-Plaza, RN BSN, said: “We know Northwell can afford to invest in their nurses. If they’re going to pay hundreds of millions on fancy building expansions, they can certainly afford to invest in a fair contract that helps deliver quality patient care. Northwell is one of the largest employers on Long Island, yet instead of investing in their nurses and safe patient care, they have bullied and ignored the voices of nurses who take care of this community’s patients.”
Instead of prioritizing negotiating a fair contract, the Northwell/South Shore administration has interfered with the federal labor law rights of its employees by, including but not limited to engaging in retaliation, interrogation, and surveillance.
Nurses argue that Northwell can afford to invest in a contract that helps recruit and retain enough nurses for quality patient care. Northwell Health is one of the largest employers on Long Island and has some of the highest executive compensation packages. In 2023, Northwell’s President and CEO Michael Dowling raked in over $9 million in salary, benefits, and perks. The hospital system has spent lavishly in recent years to expand the South Shore campus, increase its endowment and purchase Connecticut-based Nuvance Health. Regulators are concerned about Northwell’s track record of hiking prices after mergers and acquisitions. The health system also announced in July 2024 it was launching its own film studio, raising questions about its commitment to patient privacy and care.
NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, said: “Nurses have voted to say they will do whatever it takes get a contract that ensures safe staffing and wages and benefits that respect nurses and patients. Long Island nurses are united, and they can count on all 42,000 members across the state to support them.”
Striking is always a last resort. The strike authorization gives elected nurse leaders at Northwell/ South Shore the authority to submit a 10-day strike notice to management at any time going forward. Over 900 nurses at the hospital could strike unless a tentative contract agreement is reached.
Nurses have been urging Northwell to prioritize negotiating a fair and on-time contract, respect their nurses and settle a fair contract with safe staffing, improved wages, and benefits that will help recruit and retain nurses. Last week, Long Island unions sent a letter of support for NYSNA nurses to Northwell CEO Michael Dowling. Last week, NYSNA launched a community petition and ad campaign to draw attention to nurses’ demands. A mobile billboard has circulated the hospital since Wednesday, and they hit the radio waves with their message.
Nurses from Northwell/Huntington Hospital also spoke out in solidarity with South Shore nurses on Wednesday. NYSNA nurses at Northwell/Huntington Hospital and Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital are also in active bargaining on Long Island. Over 2,500 NYSNA nurses at the three Long Island hospitals are united for quality care for all Long Island patients.
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The New York State Nurses Association represents more than 42,000 members in New York State. We are New York’s largest union and professional association for registered nurses. NYSNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United, AFL-CIO, the country's largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses, with more than 225,000 members nationwide.