St. Luke’s-Roosevelt nurses take strike vote this week

Manhattan, Nov. 1, 2011 — Registered nurses at Manhattan’s St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital will vote from Tuesday, Nov. 1 - Friday, Nov. 4 to decide if they will strike the hospital in the coming months.

The 1,367 nurses, members of the New York State Nurses Association, have been at the table with hospital management for months - but have been unable to reach a settlement, due to the hospital’s refusal to move on issues important to the nurses and their families.

Two major issues separating the parties are management’s desire to raise employee premiums for health benefits, up to $100 a month, and also a pay offer that does not keep up with metropolitan area costs.

“The hospital says it cares about nurses and their families, but their stance in bargaining shows the opposite attitude,” said Elaine Charpentier, the NYSNA negotiator. “These key issues affect all our nurses, as health care and salaries are worries for all New Yorkers.”

The association has proposed reasonable financial packages that address the hospital’s concerns, but management has rejected them. In addition, the hospital has not addressed the association’s concerns about staffing, safe patient handling and workplace violence.

“We hope when we return to the table that management will offer a proposal that doesn’t hurt nurses and their families,” said Charpentier. “We are committed to quality care for our patients and community, by having a hospital whose working conditions can help recruit and retain the best nurses possible.”

St. Luke’s-Roosevelt nurses are the second NYSNA bargaining unit in Manhattan to cast a strike vote within the past two weeks over unreasonable management contract demands. New York-Presbyterian nurses voted last week to authorize a strike.

The New York State Nurses Association is the voice for nursing in the Empire State. With more than 37,000 members, it is New York’s largest professional association and union for registered nurses. The association represents registered nurses, and some all-professional bargaining units, in New York and New Jersey. It supports nurses and nursing practice through education, research, legislative advocacy, and collective bargaining.

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