Q. Why did the newly-elected board of directors hire Julie Pinkham as the Interim Executive Director?
A. Members of the Board of Directors, in the best interests of members of the association, considered a number of different Executive Director options. They then met with Julie, learned about her extensive knowledge and experience in both labor relations and in leading a state nurses association, and decided that she would be the best person to help lead NYSNA on a transitional basis at this critical period when thousands of collective bargaining members were working without a contract for more than a year. The Board decided that Julie was the one candidate who could “hit the ground running,” bringing invaluable collective bargaining, nursing and managerial experience to the Association.
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Q. Isn’t Julie the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA)?
A. Yes, but the MNA Board of Directors agreed that Julie could temporarily work part time for MNA. This allows her to also work part-time for NYSNA, helping with the transition until a new Executive Director for NYSNA is hired. While working for NYSNA, Julie is acting solely in the best interests of the members of NYSNA.
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Q. Is NYSNA actively seeking to hire a new CEO/Executive Director?
A. Yes. The Board of Directors plans to review the CEO/Executive Director position at its January meeting and then conduct a national search for someone to fill that position. Julie has agreed that she will NOT be considered for the permanent CEO/Executive Director position.
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Q. Is it true that most of the leadership staff were dismissed when Julie came on board?
A. No. The vast majority of NYSNA staff is still working at NYSNA in the same positions they held previously. The only staff dismissed were the CEO and six Economic & General Welfare managers, whose vision for the association was quite different from that of the newly-elected Board. The Board believes it is important for the entire staff to be committed to carrying out the desires and goals of the NYSNA membership as expressed in the recent election.
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Q. Are there plans to change the structure of NYSNA and focus primarily on only union activities?
A. Because the membership has expressed a desire to have the association better address the needs of our members, there may be some gradual changes in the way things have been done in the past. The elected leaders will communicate with the members and play an active role in deciding how best to move the association forward. NYSNA, as a unified professional membership association and strong labor union, will continue to offer the same (and improved) programs and services to all registered nurses in NYS.
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Q. Will the NYSNA headquarters be relocated to NYC?
A. No, NYSNA is not relocating its Latham office. The Board of Directors has appointed a search committee to investigate acquiring new office space in the NYC area, where the vast majority of our members live and work, in order to provide better meeting space for our members and larger office space for our NYC operations.
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Q. Does NYSNA plan to disaffiliate from the American Nurses Association (ANA)?
A. No. Although an ANA hearing panel recently suspended NYSNA’s membership rights due to false and unsupported claims of dual unionism, at no time has the Board of Directors or any NYSNA leaders taken any action to sever NYSNA’s relationship with ANA. In fact, in an effort to maintain our relationship with ANA, we are vigorously contesting and appealing the hearing panel’s decision to the ANA Board of Directors.
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Q. If it isn’t dual unionism, what is NYSNA’s relationship with MNA?
A. The only relationship that NYSNA has with MNA is that the two organizations are temporarily sharing an Executive Director. MNA, in a show of respect and support for NYSNA, agreed that its Executive Director could work part time for NYSNA during this critically important transitional period. Neither union is interested in interfering in any way with the other’s operations or bargaining rights.
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Q. How does the ANA suspension affect NYSNA members?
A. Until NYSNA’s membership status with ANA is restored, NYSNA members will not be able to access ANA member benefits. In addition, the accredited approver unit activities have been suspended. This does NOT, however, affect any of the continuing education activities NYSNA plans, develops and delivers, including our workshops, e-leaRN™ courses and webinars. As stated earlier, we are actively contesting and appealing the ANA hearing panel’s decision, and seeking to restore NYSNA’s Constituent Member status as soon as possible.
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Q. Will NYSNA's status as an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) approver and provider of continuing education (CE) be impacted?
A. NYSNA will still be able to provide the same continuing education (CE) programs it currently does, but during the suspension, NYSNA will not be able to award CE to outside providers (i.e., hospitals or organizations that apply to NYSNA and pay a fee to be able to provide their own CE). All impacted parties have been notified and assured their programs will continue without disruption. All programs that NYSNA plans, develops and delivers (workshops, e-leaRN™ courses and webinars) will still be available for CE. For more information please contact NYSNA’s Education Practice and Research at education@nysna.org or 518.782.9400 ext. 282.
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Q. How will this impact NYSNA members who relied on ANA for low cost CE for re-certifications?
A. Continuing education certification and recertification materials will remain available through ANA; however, NYSNA members will no longer be eligible for ANA discounts. This also applies to those applying to become Board Certified Nurse Practitioners. We hope that the ANA Board of Directors, on appeal, will agree not to harm NYSNA’s members as a result of the baseless charges that were filed.
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Q. What will happen to the portion of the member dues that were directed to the ANA?
A. We know that dues are a very important issue for members. Right now, we are actively seeking to reverse the ANA hearing panel’s decision and convince the ANA Board to allow NYSNA to remain a Constituent Member in good standing. We have requested that the ANA “stay” the hearing panel’s decision and allow NYSNA to remain a Constituent Member pending our appeal. Once the ANA acts on the appeal, we will have more information to share with you about your dues. We deeply appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.
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Q. Can NYSNA members become direct members of ANA?
A. Yes. While NYSNA membership provides additional benefits and opportunities for you RNs may join ANA individually. If you have further questions about this, please contact the Executive Office at NYSNA, 518.782.9400, ext. 279 or executive@nysna.org.
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Q. Does NYSNA plan to disaffiliate from the National Federation of Nurses (NFN)?
A. As directed by the Board of Directors at its last meeting, the NYSNA Delegate Assembly (DA) is conducting a thorough assessment of the value of an affiliation with the NFN to NYSNA members. Until the assessment is completed, NYSNA dues to the NFN will be on hold. The relationship between NYSNA and the NFN will be evaluated further by the Board and Delegate Assembly at their upcoming meetings in January.
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Q. What happened to the re-run election that the NYSNA Election Committee recommended and the Appeals Committee upheld?
A. The Board of Directors retained an independent law firm, which had not had any prior relationship with NYSNA or any NYSNA members, to review NYSNA’s election policies and the election complaints filed during and after the 2011 election. After a thorough investigation, the independent counsel did not find any violations of NYSNA policy or bylaws, or federal labor laws in the 2011 election. The independent counsel advised the Board of Directors that, under NYSNA’s bylaws, it was the duty of the Board of Directors, not the Election or Appeals Committees, to decide whether or not a re-run election should take place. After receiving the independent counsel’s report, the Board of Directors determined that there were no grounds for setting aside the 2011 election results and, accordingly, a re-run of the election was not warranted. The Department of Labor is also investigating this issue and will be issuing an independent decision in the near future.
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Q. Are there still differing views about the direction of our Association?
A. While debate is healthy in any organization, particularly in a labor union, the NYSNA leadership believes that we should all work together to strengthen and unify our association. At a time when employers are attacking RNs’ health, pension and other benefits, we should stand united in aggressively protecting the interests of our members.
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Q. What is the best way for members to get the most up-to-date information?
A. NYSNA is committed to transparency and providing members with current information on the transition and activities across the association. Regular updates will be posted online (nysna.org) and e-mailed to members. Members wishing to receive e-mail updates should provide a current e-mail address to membership@nysna.org.
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Q. Who should members contact if they have questions?
A. NYSNA encourages members who have questions, or need additional clarification, to call the Executive Office at 518.782.9400, ext. 279 or e-mail executive@nysna.org.
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