Overwhelming Vote by RNs to Authorize Citywide Strike

NEW YORK, June 2, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As calls to increase numbers of nurses and caregivers at area hospitals grow louder—by the public, elected officials, public health experts and by nurses and caregivers themselves—and in the face of efforts by hospital management to silence, retaliate against and lock out nurses for speaking about patient care issues, members of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) will announce on Wednesday an overwhelming vote to authorize a strike.

More than 18,000 nurses are in negotiations with NYC private hospitals—negotiations that, nurses say, are not being carried out in good faith. Federal Unfair Labor Practice charges were filed this week after new incidents in which nurses were threatened with arrest and escorted out of hospitals for speaking out against staffing shortages and for safe patient care.

Nurses are counted as the most trusted professionals in the nation.

A press conference will be held with members of the nurse negotiating team on Wednesday, June 3^rd at 9:00am to answer questions about patient care, nurse and other caregiver shortages, management retaliation against nurses and the strike authorization vote.

"Every nurse and healthcare professional here cares deeply about giving our patients safe and quality care," said Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, an emergency room nurse at Montefiore Medical Center and president of NYSNA. "We want to make sure that when you come to the hospital you have the best possible care. But there are simply not enough nurses and caregivers to do the job effectively. What management has done to intimidate and silence us is unconscionable. Our nurses will continue to speak out and advocate in behalf of our patients."

The silencing of the nurses comes after thousands of NYC and Westchester RNs held rallies and informational pickets on April 16^th at which they spoke out for safe staffing. Thousands of nurses and other caregivers also participated in successful Lobby Days in Albany in April and May, where they met with legislators to discuss the staffing crisis in New York State hospitals.

The date of the strike has yet to be determined by the union's bargaining team, which is elected by the membership. The union enters into four days of bargaining starting June 3^rd.

WHAT:  Press conference with members of the NYSNA private sector negotiating team to answer questions about nurse staffing shortages in NYC hospitals, lack of bargaining in good faith, threats of lock out, and intimidation of RNs by hospital management

WHO:  NYSNA Registered Nurses

WHEN:  Wednesday, June 3^rd at 9:00am

WHERE:  Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel 
Union Square room - Lower Level
811 Seventh Avenue (corner of 53^rd Street)
New York City

**EXCELLENT PHOTO, AUDIO AND VIDEO OPPORTUNITIES**
NYSNA members will be available for media availabilities

The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) represents more than 37,000 members in New York State. We are New York's largest union and professional association for registered nurses. For more information, please visit our website at www.nysna.org.

SOURCE New York State Nurses Association

Related Links

http://www.nysna.org