Brooklyn Hospital Center Nurses Fight and Win to Restore Their Health Benefits

Nurses at The Brooklyn Hospital Center have been taking action to demand the immediate reinstatement of their health coverage. Their coverage was unjustly cut on Feb. 1 after the hospital failed to make the required payments to nurses’ health funds for months. The loss of coverage came just as nurses were preparing to ratify a contract that protected their healthcare and pension benefits earlier this year. Nurses refused to stay silent and immediately organized to call on management to restore their benefits.

Nurses held speak-outs outside the hospital, leafletted communities, and lobbied lawmakers to share how the loss of coverage is forcing many nurses and their families to delay critical care, from routine checkups to lifesaving treatments. Elected officials, including Senator Jabari Brisport; Assembly Members Phara Souffrant Forrest, RN, and Jo Anne Simon; and Council Members Mercedes Narcisse, RN, Lincoln Restler, and Crystal Hudson, have joined nurses at these actions. Assembly member Phara Souffrant Forrest, RN published an op-ed in support.

On March 17, after more than 45 days without health insurance, nurses escalated their campaign and took their demands directly to CEO Gary Terrinoni’s luxury condo. This came after hospital executives had received millions in state funding and only made partial payments to nurses’ health coverage—not enough to restore coverage. Nurses made their demands clear: reinstate their coverage, cover medical expenses incurred in February when their benefits were cut, commit to protect their benefits in the future, and pay the pension contributions they owe. News outlets covered the latest action including, The City, 1010 Wins, ABC 7, NY1 and the New York Amsterdam News.

Their collective action made an immediate impact. Hospital executives finalized the payment and paperwork needed to fully restore nurses’ health benefits. Congrats, nurses!  

But The Brooklyn Hospital Center nurses are not done. They will continue fighting to ensure the hospital covers past medical expenses, never lets their healthcare lapse again, and fully pays the pension contributions owed. Brooklyn nurses proved that when we fight, we win!