Contract Updates – Mount Sinai South Nassau Nurses | New York State Nurses Association

Nurses with signs outside Sinai South Nassau hospital

Our bargaining platform:

We, the undersigned NYSNA members at Mount Sinai South Nassau, are committed to bargaining and winning a great first contract that benefits our patients, our community, our profession, and ourselves! We are in support of the Bargaining Committee and we are united in gaining these core demands:

Enforceable Safe Staffing Ratios.
Economic Incentives and Wage Increases that retain and recruit nurses.
Improved Benefits that protect & uphold the dignity of our nurses, now and in the future.
Improved Working Conditions and Enhanced Quality of Life: health & safety protections, professional development, just & equitable professional practices, and vacation and benefit time

Latest Contract Updates

June 10
Today, both parties went through a list of some open proposals. We discussed the Clinical advancement program, shift differentials and continuing education and professional development. We also followed up on on-call and bonus days. Focusing on big economic items soon is conceivable because remember that the Mount Sinai health system is one of the richest health systems in the state of New York. Delay = Disrespect. They can and must “find a way” to a just and fair contract now. How does this happen? Solidarity is key to winning. We encourage members to observe and come to our bargaining sessions and be informed!

June 3
More tentative agreements reached today on floating with districts, holidays, workday, work week and work schedules. Management presented proposals on shift differentials and work time. These agreements get us closer to focusing on the big economic items that are still open. Management is still wasting time and resources. Mount Sinai South Nassau nurses deserve a fair contract now. This contract means safer patient care and respect for all nurses.

March 26
Nurses from three units joined the Bargaining Committee at negotiations on Wednesday, Mar. 26. We met with management and a federal mediator from FMCS to try and find a path forward into economic items that matter to nurses. Unfortunately, management maintained their prior position that they are not open to any added staff beyond the current status quo. On top of that, they refuse to talk about any other economic items such as pay increases, benefits, or differentials if we do not accept the status quo on staffing. We waited for responses from management throughout the day only to hear that they had nothing new to say.

Nurses who joined today told management, "These delays are disrespectful, and we deserve better." We are fed up. Going forward, we will no longer tolerate management showing up at noon when we start at 10 a.m. Management agreed that they will come to the bargaining table at 10 a.m. each day. We also demanded that management commit to bargaining on a set day of the week so nurses can plan their work schedules and attend. Going forward, we will meet on Wednesday, Apr. 30, May 21, and May 28. Then Tuesdays in June.

We were able to get these commitments because we showed strength in numbers today. When nurses show up at bargaining, management feels the pressure. We need to continue to turn up the heat and we need everyone to do their part.

March 20
Since joining NYSNA Mount Sinai South Nassau nurses have won real improvements in staffing, pay, and job protections. Since
Organizing we have:

Won our highest annual raise (%4) in more than ten years
Seen MSSN fill existing vacancies and add new nursing positions to multiple units
Received overtime incentive rates comparable to Mount Sinai main to cover existing vacancies
Forced management to reinstate a nurse after an illegal firing
Forced management to explain how shift and other differentials are actually paid
Forced management to provide clear notice about schedule changes and the disciplinary process
Defended nurses’ right to speak out about issues that impact our patients and our profession!

These wins are only the beginning! Tell management it's time to settle a contract! Join us at Negotiations March 26th from
10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. at 1000 South Oyster Bay Rd.

January 16
What we did:

Today MSSN NPs presented management with a petition calling for a fair contract that improves NP and RN pay, experience conversion and extended experience scales
Nurses met with Assemblywoman Judy Griffin during negotiations and called on her to support our cause
We presented updated differential language that would give a $3 an hour differential to all nurses working 3 hours after 3pm

What did Management Say?

Even though we are only 7 RN positions apart on procedural unit staffing, management said they need more time to determine the cost of those positions...
Management said they could not respond to NPs because they will respond as a package and need more time
In fact, management didn't make a single offer across the table today

December 10
On Monday we showed Mount Sinai our strength! We joined with our political and labor allies and NYSNA Nurses from across Mount Sinai (despite the rain) to demand a fair contract. But Mount Sinai management thinks...

They don’t need to improve the staffing they proposed six months ago, add break relief nurses, or increase the recent wage offer
Your manager should have the power to remove your CAP level if they decide to discipline you and they do this to nurses already
NPs should have a base rate lower than some per diem RNs

Management said: “These nurses have what they’re entitled to” already

Does this sound right to you?

December 6
Tell Mount Sinai it's time to treat South Nassau like other Mount Sinai System Hospitals and settle a Fair Contract Now! Join Mount Sinai South Nassau nurses and our allies as we take action. For too long Mount Sinai has been delaying negotiations. They refuse to treat South Nassau like other Sinai System hospitals and offer competitive pay. safe staffing, and the respect that professional nurses of all kinds deserve. In addition, they have broken federal labor laws by interfering with nurses· rights to organizing a union and take collective action.

Shame on you Mount Sinai!
WHAT: Informational Picket for a Contract
WHEN: Monday, Dec. 9, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
WHERE: 1 Healthy Way Oceanside NY 11572

November 14
Management made their first full economic proposal today. Join the General Membership Meeting on 11/19 to discuss with the Bargaining Committee.

Is Staffing Safe? Management says there is no need to add more positions, even to cover breaks!

If Staffing is so Good... Why won't management agree to any new staffing enforcement language?

November 12
For weeks management has not made any economic proposals or responded to our economic proposals on some of the most important issues for our contract: wages, differentials, benefits, and staffing.

Instead, hospital management has said they are not ready (yet) because the staffing proposals for each unit are too big for them to know where to start. This argument appears to be a stall tactic, but in the interest of moving bargaining forward, in our November 6 negotiations, we modified our staffing proposals. We expected management would be ready to give their economic proposals, but they said they still need more time. We expect to hear their economic proposals at this week's bargaining session on Thursday, November 14.

Additionally, management brought forward that they plan to continue giving annual increases on schedule in December. Not only is continuing this practice of annual raises the right thing to do but also required while we bargain the contract.

October 15
Progress Made at the Table on the Following:

Clinical Advancement Program (CAP): We are proposing to keep CAP and make it more accessible. Management is considering our proposal to change reapplication to every two years instead of annually, making CAP easier to keep after initial application. We proposed maintaining the current rates but management is not agreeing to the rates at this time.
Sick Leave: The union is trying to expand protection for sick leave use, we are in discussions and are close to an agreement.
Association Business: Both parties revisited and discussed local and general representative’s access to conduct union business in the hospital

Victory! We won our case proving nurses have the right to form, join, and assist the union! Mount Sinai South Nassau is now required to publicly post they broke labor law and must reinstate Marylene Teopengco-Merritt.

October 1
On October 1, 2024, the NYSNA Executive Committee put forward a proposal to management to maintain the Clinical Advancement Program (CAP). Our proposal seeks to:

PROTEST the Clinical Advancement Program in a legally binding contract, so management. cannot eliminate CAP or make arbitrary changes to CAP requirements.

STANDARDIZE the approval process so management cannot unreasonably withhold approval or advancement.

EXTEND the evaluation period for maintaining CAP level from one year to three years, so nurses can maintain their level for longer without reapplying - while still protecting our ability to apply for advancement annually.

SECURE the CAP level of nurses who transfer between units, so that nurses are not discourage from or penalized for

For years, management has made arbitrary decisions about CAP without nurse input: using favoritism and personal opinion to decide who advances, and making unexpected changes that force nurses into taking pay cuts.

We deserve a Clinical Advancement Program that is fair and secured in our contract!

Sept 27, 2024
TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER- NYSNA nurses from Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside, West and other NYSNA facilities in Long Island banded together to meet and greet NYSNA members at Mount Sinai South Nassau on September 20th. Nurses spoke to other nurses and affirmed that when we stay together in a for dignity, respect, safe staffing and better working conditions, we win. Join us at the next negotiation date is on October 1 at 10:00 a.m. at 1000 S Oyster Bay Rd. Hicksville, NY.

Sept 20, 2024
ONE NYSNA FAMILY – Management canceled the last 2 negotiation sessions, how disrespectful! Quit stalling- we demand our NYSNA Contract Now! We expose and oppose Management’s refusal to treat South Nassau as a full and equal part of the Mount Sinai health system. NYSNA and its over 42,000 strong NYSNA members are committed to resist and fight back against this big bad boss. Our year-long fight to a fair contract and for meaningful change is a fight for dignity and respect, it is a fight for justice and most of all, it is a battle to achieve quality care for our patients and our community. We are steadfast in this fight, in solidarity we fight and stand - and when we fight, we win!

SHOW YOUR POWER AND WEAR YOUR NYSNA BUTTON:
It is against the law for a supervisor to tell you that you cannot join a protected union activity or wear a sticker/button or to threaten you with discipline for doing so.
Step 1 – Put the button on when your shift begins and wear it all day.
Step 2 – Take a photo with a friend in a non-patient care area and share on social media using #RespectNYSNAMSSN #Safestaffingsaveslives
and tag @nynurses
Step 3 – Know your rights and immediately inform a union representative or delegate if management tells you to take your button off.
Ask “Will I be disciplined if I don’t take it off?”
Step 4 - Complete this form to report https://forms.office.com/r/CzWvB0bVwh

Send a Message to Mount Sinai Leadership: South Nassau Nurses Deserve a Fair Contract!

Upcoming Bargaining Dates

Next Contract Negotiations are on July 15, July 24, August 12, and August 27.
10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., 1000 S Oyster Bay Rd. Hicksville, NY

CONTACT INFORMATION:

If you have any questions or wish to be involved in contract negotiations, please contact your Mount Sinai staff reps or members of the Executive Committee at mssnec@nysna.org.

Staff Representatives:
Anne Naguit (646) 491-1419, anne.naguit@nysna.org
Elizabeth Eisenberg, (917) 854-4570, elizabeth.eisenberg@nysna.org

MSSN Executive Committee Members:
Marianne Gale (Interventional Radiology) ext. 3047
Kathy Harrington (Ambulatory Surgery) ext. 3985
Christine Moran (Maternity)
Kim Puccio (Cath lab)
William Campanella (ED)
Nancy Garcia (Labor and Delivery) ext. 3970

BACKGROUND

In January 2022, approximately 800 nurses at Mount Sinai South Nassau on Long Island successfully won union recognition and unionized with NYSNA. As the last non-union facility in the entire Mount Sinai health system, nurses were ready to have a seat at the table to win a fair contract that improves care and uplifts standards at the hospital.

The victory came on the heels of a massive nurse strike, where NYSNA nurses at New York City's Mount Sinai Hospital went on strike for three days to achieve groundbreaking tentative agreements that improved safe staffing levels and enforcement, increased wages by 19% over the three-year contract period, protected healthcare benefits, and improved pandemic health and safety and community benefits.

Mount Sinai South Nassau nurses have been fighting for a fair contract ever since. Management at Mount Sinai South Nassau continues to stall and pushback against the efforts of nurses to have a voice at every step of the way. Today, they have still failed to respond to the biggest and most important contract proposals made by the nurses. South Nassau nurses deserve a fair contract now, and will not stop fighting for change.

WEINGARTEN RIGHTS

If a supervisor or the boss asks questions that could lead to disciplinary action, NYSNA members have the right to ask for a NYSNA steward or other union officer.