NY Nurse HHC/Mayorals Special Issue 2014

The contract win for HHC/Mayoral members is one of the most significant I have known in my 30-year career with healthcare unions. The contract terms entail a substantial wage increase, retro payments and a solid benefit package; there are no givebacks. And there are two new funds in which you, the members, have the say in its formation and direction. It is truly a landmark contract.

Your support and the input from each and every facility and unit in the HHC/Mayorals made this contract a reality.

The new fund for child and elder care addresses some of the most essential needs of NYSNA members: A toddler whose parent’s work consumes long hours and must be watched and cared for on a daily basis; an aging, sick parent who requires regular care at home, sometimes during nights. Nearly one in four U.S. households provided informal care to a relative or friend 50 years or older in the past year, according to estimates. The hardship in terms of time, worry and expense can be overwhelming.

Under the new contract NYSNA nurses can shape education and training to meet nurse needs, bringing the collective knowledge and dollars of nurses together. That’s what the new fund for union training and upgrading affords NYSNA nurses. This fall NYSNA nurses will begin to form the governance of this new benefit fund, set priorities and begin implementation of this important new educational and training opportunity.

No givebacks. More than 19 percent wage increases. Retro pay. These are building blocks of the contract we bargained for and won.

There is more to this outstanding contract: two new funds: one for education and training; the second for child and elder care.

As professional caregivers, we are very aware of the need to enhance our knowledge of nursing through education and training. As caregivers at home, we appreciate the needs of our children, spouses and parents.