NEW YORK NURSE: January-February 2011
NYSNA’s labor education program continues to grow!
More than 40 new workshops have been added to the Economic and General Welfare program’s already extensive listing of continuing educational workshops in labor law, employment, and occupational health and safety.
“For decades, the NYSNA E&GW program has offered educational workshops for new bargaining unit leaders in negotiations, grievance handling, and internal organizing,” said E&GW Associate Director Carol Lynn Esposito. “In recent years, it’s widened the scope of its offerings in response to the rapidly changing workplace environment and members’ increasing needs.”
“This is because union representation doesn’t end when the contract is approved,” added NYSNA Labor Educator Mary Lewis. “The contract and its terms must be enforced by every member, every day. Our labor education courses help provide members with the skills they need.”
Under the direction of Esposito, and through the work of the program’s Resource Team, LBU members can now choose from more than 125 course offerings, giving NYSNA one of the most comprehensive labor education programs for nurses in the nation.
“We created these courses with the intent of increasing our members’ knowledge and empowering them,” said Diane Salerno, NYSNA labor educator. “We’ve worked extensively over the years to identify our members’ needs and develop meaningful workshops.”
Since 2005, the Resource Team has expanded its course offerings to cover a wide range of content areas in labor and employment law, labor education, and occupational health and safety.
“Our occupational health and safety programs, in particular, have proven to be valuable in helping bargaining unit members advocate for themselves,” said Tom Lowe, NYSNA occupational health and safety representative. “They provide members with the tools to gain control over their practice and workplace environments.”
“The goals of the Resource Team,” Esposito added, “are to empower unionized RNs and their professional colleagues – not only in the workplace but in the practice community. We want to make the public more aware of the working nurse and provide continuous education. All of which will facilitate the creation of exemplary transformational leaders.”
For more information on NYSNA’s labor education programs, contact the Resource Team by e-mail at egwresource.team@nysna.org.
Labor and employment law
Labor education programs
Occupational health and safety