Kingston Hospital RNs will vote for union representation by Nurses Association

LATHAM, October 22, 2010 - Registered nurses at Kingston Hospital will vote on Friday, Nov. 12 for the right to be represented by the New York State Nurses Association for collective bargaining. Voting hours at the facility are: 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.; 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; and 3:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The RNs are seeking to become the newest members of NYSNA to address pay-scale and benefits, as well as patient safety issues surrounding insufficient nurse-to-patient ratios.

Like their Health Alliance colleagues, RNs at Kingston believe that union representation will give them a voice when unilateral decisions are made by management that compromise the RNs ability to provide exemplary patient care.

The Nurses Association has helped RNs throughout the state improve their wages, benefits, and working conditions. Working with the association, the Health Alliance RNs have already:

corrected RN overpayment for health care benefits
obtained a binding arbitration process to resolve grievances, and
negotiated layoff and seniority provisions

The New York State Nurses Association is the voice for nursing in the Empire State. With more than 36,000 members, it is the state's largest professional association and largest union for registered nurses. It supports nurses and nursing practice through education, research, legislative advocacy, and collective bargaining.

- 30 -