NEW YORK NURSE: July/August 2010
Uncasville, Connecticut
Wednesday October 20 to Friday, October 22, 2010
Mary J. Finnin, MS, RN, Secretary, New York State Nurses Association
Registration Hours
Tuesday, October 19 - 5:30 - 8:00 PM
Wednesday. October 20 - 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday, October 21 - 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday, October 22 - 7:30 AM – Noon
Wednesday, October 20, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM - “Labor Day” – Collective Bargaining activities
4:15 PM begins events for all.
The NYSNA Board of Directors has approved the following proposed bylaw amendments for presentation to the 2010 Voting Body.
Insert the following language at the end of paragraph (a) so that the paragraph reads as follows (new language is underscored):
1) A member is one:
a) who:
1) has been granted a license to practice as a registered nurse in at least one state, territory, possession or District of Columbia of the United States or is otherwise lawfully so entitled to practice and who does not have a license under suspension or revocation, or
2) is represented by NYSNA in a collective bargaining unit, and…
b) whose application for membership has been accepted in accordance with association policy, and
c) who has paid the current dues and any other dues, fees, and financial obligations as required by current policy, and
d) who has not been suspended or expelled by this association.
[There are no changes to b), c), d).]
Rationale: This amendment would give the 350 non-RN members of NYSNA’s all-professional collective bargaining units full membership rights. Many of these LBU members occupy elected unit leadership positions and actively support the work and advancement of the E&GW Program and the association. The non-RN members of these units assisted in the advancement of the nursing profession when they agreed to be represented by NYSNA. Management in the facilities would not allow the RNs to be organized by NYSNA unless all of the professional staff were organized. Managements’ position was that the other professionals would not be willing to join a nurses’ union. NYSNA prevailed in three facilities. Those non-RNs are now requesting full membership rights.
Insert the following:
g) Council of Retired Nurses
Rationale: This amendment was requested by the retired members meeting at the 2009 Convention who believe that it is essential to promote continuing involvement of retired members in the association’s formal council structure. The Council of Retired Nurses would be of valuable assistance in furthering the mission and work of the association.
Delete Article IX – Delegate Assembly
Re-number subsequent articles accordingly.
Rationale: The Congress of Bargaining Unit Leaders (Article X of the bylaws) is comprised of representatives from the approximately 150 association local bargaining units. Each bargaining unit has one vote in the Congress. The Congress’s purposes, as set forth in the bylaws, are comprehensive. The Congress is the broadest-based democratic unit representing the collective bargaining interests of the association within the Economic and General Welfare Program. As such, it is equipped to carry on the work of advancing the association’s mission as it relates to the E&GW Program through equal voting rights and fair representation of each local bargaining unit.
The purposes of the DA and the Congress, as contained in the bylaws, are indistinguishable. The amendment seeks to remove the DA from the bylaws. The DA is an insulated body of about 39 members which was created circa 1986 and added to the bylaws in 2002. The Congress, an insulated body of about 150 members, was added to the bylaws in 2009. Therefore, the substitution of the Congress for the DA in the bylaws furthers the concept of insulation because it is a more representative body of collective bargaining members than the DA. Deletion of the DA from the bylaws does not put insulation of the E&GW Program from supervisory influence of the board of directors at risk.
Section 3. Representation in ANA House of Delegates
Addition of a new paragraph c):
c) Seats in the NYSNA delegation shall be designated for the president, president-elect, and chief executive officer.
Rationale: This amendment would ensure that the president, president-elect, and CEO are able to participate fully in the work of the House of Delegates by providing valuable guidance and leadership to NYSNA’s delegation. Furthermore, it would ensure that the association’s official representatives are available for – and have the advantage of full delegate status in – collaborating with other CMA delegations on issues coming before the house. Since representation in the House of Delegates is allocated proportionately according to ANA policy, this amendment would reduce by three the total number of delegates that NYSNA members would elect to the House of Delegates.