NEW YORK NURSE: February 2008

Delegate Assembly Notes

by Mark Genovese

Delegate Assembly elects officers

During a two-day session on Jan. 14-15, members of the NYSNA Delegate Assembly (DA) elected officers to its executive committee.

Rod Roca, a Zone 1 delegate from Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg, was elected vice president. José Planillo, a Zone 9 delegate from New York Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan, was elected secretary. Both will start their two-year terms prior to the DA’s next meeting in April.

Dianne Gray, an LBU member from Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, attended her first meeting as the delegate from Zone 2. Robin Brennan, Cortland County Health Department, took office as the new delegate from Zone 3. Vacancies in Zones 6 and 9 will be filled after examination of last year’s election results.

Susan Casadone from St. John’s Riverside Hospital in Yonkers assumed the office of president of the NYSNA Congress of Bargaining Unit Leaders after the resignation of Pat Coll.

Delegates share experiences

“Zoning in,” a new feature at DA meetings, gives delegates an opportunity to discuss issues affecting their local areas and bargaining units. At this meeting, participants discussed management efforts to reduce or eliminate pension plans, block NYSNA representatives from meeting with members, introduce performance pay into contract negotiations, and misuse electronic attendance systems to discipline nurses or deny overtime pay. Other challenges include looming hospital bankruptcies and plans to restructure units and services. Delegates also discussed ways to encourage members to turn in protest of assignment forms.

EGW activity in 2007

Lorraine Seidel, director of the Economic & General Welfare (EGW) program, reviewed program activities of the past year. Among the highlights:

The association won or successfully resolved 93% of its completed grievances and 70% of its completed arbitrations.
60% of NYSNA contracts in 2007 were negotiated prior to or within three months of expiration. Of the 33 contracts negotiated, 13 were finished prior to expiration – compared to 3 of 43 in 2006.
18% of NYSNA contracts negotiated this past year either added or improved on existing retirement health provisions, 43% contain new provisions on safety and health, and 15% call for adding release-time staff.
The turnaround time for getting a finished contract document into members’ hands also improved.
Participation by members in activities increased, as RNs took part in campaigns for equal pension rights in New York City, healthcare reform, support for the Sentosa 27, and contributions for striking RNs in Kentucky and West Virginia.

Post-disaffiliation discussion

Delegates discussed the options surrounding continuing relations with the AFL-CIO and the American Nurses Association after NYSNA’s recent disaffiliation from the United American Nurses. They also reviewed the national labor climate and ongoing work with area labor federations and central labor councils.