NYSNA Update: July 31, 2026
Victory at Catholic Health/St. Joseph’s Hospital!
On Wednesday, July 29, NYSNA nurses at Catholic Health/St. Joseph’s Hospital voted unanimously to ratify a new three-year contract! Highlights of the contract include improvements to staffing, including the addition of 15 full-time nurses in a new float pool; new incentives to increase nurse retention; and a 15% wage increase over the life of the contract. With this successful ratification vote, St. Joseph’s nurses join their fellow Catholic Health nurses at St. Charles Hospital, who voted to ratify a new contract earlier this month. With this victory, St. Catherine’s of Siena Hospital is the only Catholic Health facility left bargaining on Long Island. Congratulations, St. Joseph’s nurses!
Adirondack Medical Center Nurses Speak Out for a Fair Contract
After months of bargaining with little movement from hospital administrators, NYSNA nurses at Adirondack Medical Center took action this week to advance their fight for a fair contract. On Wednesday, July 29, nurses held a speak-out, calling on management to settle a fair contract that protects nurse and patient safety that includes a real plan to recruit and retain experienced nurses. Nurses’ top priority during this contract campaign is securing entrance to the NYSNA Benefit Fund, which would deliver affordable healthcare benefits to nurses and their families; currently, Adirondack employees are forced onto an expensive employer-provided plan. The speak-out was covered by WAMC, the Press Republican and the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Keep up the great work, Adirondack nurses, and don’t stop fighting until you win the affordable health benefits frontline nurses deserve!
North Country Nurses Rally and Advocate to Save Maternal Health Services at North Star/Claxton-Hepburn
This week, NYSNA nurses in the North Country continued their fight to save maternal health services at North Star/Claxton-Hepburn Medical Campus by holding a speak-out and attending a public hearing to make their voices heard! On July 29, nurses from North Star/Claxton-Hepburn, North Star/Carthage Area Hospital, Samaritan Medical Center and Canton-Potsdam Hospital gathered outside the Ogdensburg Free Academy to speak out about the devastating impact the proposed closure would have on their communities and patients across the North Country. Nurses were joined at the speak-out by members of the Ogdensburg Education Association and the International Association of Firefighters Local 1799 as well as State Senator Mark Walczyk, New York State Assembly Member Scott Gray, Deputy Mayor of Ogdensburg Jennifer Stevenson, County Legislator Rita Curran and St. Lawrence County Central Labor Council President Sam Burns.
After the speak-out, nurses attended North Star Health Alliance’s public hearing on the closure, where they spoke again about the impact on patients and the dangers of closing the only birthing center between Potsdam and Watertown. Nurses’ actions at the speak-out and public hearing received coverage in NNY360, North Country Now, WWNY 7 News and North Country Public Radio.
With the decision to close the maternal health unit still pending and under review by the New York State Department of Health, NYSNA nurses will continue to push back to ensure that all birthing people, women, children and families have access to the maternal health services they need. Don't give up the fight, North Country nurses!