NORTHWELL/SOUTH SHORE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL NURSES RATIFY CONTRACT THAT PROTECTS PATIENT CARE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, March 17, 2025
Contact: Andrea Penman-Lomeli | press@nysna.org | 347-559-3169
Diana Moreno | press@nysna.org | 917-327-2302
NORTHWELL/SOUTH SHORE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL NURSES RATIFY CONTRACT THAT PROTECTS PATIENT CARE
A supermajority of Northwell/South Shore nurses voted to ratify a contract that defends safe staffing standards and improves wages and staffing to retain nurses and ensure quality patient care
Bay Shore, N.Y.— New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) nurses at Northwell/South Shore University Hospital ratified a three-year contract that includes improvements to safe staffing standards for quality patient care. The contract, which nurses overwhelmingly ratified on March 13 and 14, improves pay, benefits, and staffing, which are key to recruiting and retaining experienced nurses and ensures that Northwell/South Shore patients receive the best care possible.
JoAnne DeAntonio, RN, BSN, CEN, and local union president said, “The improvements to staffing levels, wages and benefits will improve working conditions and ensure that we can continue to deliver the best care possible. I’m glad that management was able to recognize that more nurses means better care. The last few months have not been easy, but this contract is worth that time and energy. It ensures that nurses can continue to do what they do best: provide quality care for Long Island patients.”
The agreement adds 19 nurses to staff units with severe safe staffing issues, including the emergency department and labor and delivery, and makes improvements to guarantee break periods. On Feb. 26, nurses spoke out about patient safety and voted to authorize an unfair labor practice strike unless a tentative contract agreement was reached. The contract includes safe staffing enforcement provisions and safe staffing ratios of nurses to patients for every unit.
The wage increases that nurses won bring Northwell/South Shore nurse pay up on par with other Long Island nurse wages. Over the three-year life of the contract, wage increases total between $16,000 to $20,000, and include annual pay increases, and experience pay improvements for pension.
Notably, this is the first nurses’ contract in New York state that specifically allows nurses to review and make recommendations prior to and during the implementation of any artificial intelligence that could potentially impact nurses.
Jenna Kuhns, RN, said: “We bargained several times late into the night, hoping that management would hear our demands and listen to their nurses. Nurses shouldn’t have to skip breaks or avoid calling out when sick because of staffing issues. Finally, we achieved what we set out to do. We got a contract that respects the work we do and invests in safe patient care by ensuring that we recruit and retain nurses to deliver the best care possible. We will continue to fight to hold Northwell accountable in following the safe staffing law to ensure hospitals are safely staffed and patients get the care they deserve.”
On March 4, nurses announced they would go on strike if an agreement was not reached. Nurses urged Northwell to respect their nurses and settle a fair on-time contract with safe staffing, improved wages, and benefits that will help recruit and retain nurses.
NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, said: “Nurses worked hard to ensure that Northwell/South Shore heard their voices. Now we need other Long Island hospitals to respect their nurses and settle contracts that protect quality patient care across Long Island.”
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.