New York Nurse: November 2010
Due to an increase in dues set by the American Nurses Association (ANA), NYSNA members will pay an additional $4 per year in dues, effective Jan. 1, 2011.
In a 2005 special election, NYSNA members voted 2-1 in favor of the association passing through ANA dues increases to members. The ballot language stated, “When the rate of assessment payable by NYSNA to the ANA is increased, such change shall be added to the annual dues owed to NYSNA by a member.”
This increase actually is lower than the rate of inflation. According to ANA policy, dues can be raised only once every three years, so the next ANA dues increase cannot occur before January 2014.
Every member of NYSNA (with the exception of direct members) is also a member of the ANA. The ANA relies on member dues for more than 41 percent of its income and uses the funds to conduct important national work on behalf of nurses and nursing.
NYSNA dues are computed according to a formula approved by the 2001 Voting Body. The formula uses a Regional Base Salary (RBS) to determine the dues for members in six different regions in New York state and one in New Jersey.
The RBS is the average of the starting salary paid to staff nurses at all NYSNA-represented facilities in each region as of Jan. 1, 2010. A calculation of 1.6 percent of this average determines the dues rate for members in that region who are represented for collective bargaining and work full time; and 1.2 percent for members who are represented for collective bargaining and work less than full time, or for members who are not represented for collective bargaining by NYSNA.
Dues are not a percentage of each member’s individual salary.