NYSNA Update: May 16, 2025
Happy Nurses Week!
Nurses Week celebrations continue! This week, nurses celebrated by phone banking against cuts to Medicaid at the NYSNA office, by honoring their fallen colleagues with a beautiful Hudson Valley Nurse Honor Guard memorial service at Vassar Brothers Medical Center, and with Nurses Week events throughout New York! Check out photos from NYSNA Nurses Week celebrations here.
The origins of Nurses’ Week come from honoring the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, on May 12. Thank you to all the nurses who carry her torch of service and care!
NYSNA Nurses Across New York Fight to Protect Medicaid!
This week, NYSNA nurses across New York spoke out, made phone calls, protested and joined forces with 1199/SEIU to stop the extreme and cruel cuts Congress is proposing to the Medicaid program. While Congress is negotiating the final budget, nurses and healthcare workers are fighting for our patients by making our voices heard. From Dunkirk to Peekskill to Plattsburgh to Bay Shore, nurses showed up to urge their members of Congress to listen to frontline nurses and vote to protect a program that saves lives and provides healthcare to millions of New Yorkers, including almost half of New York’s children. Nurses also phone banked members of Congress to stop the cuts in Terrytown, Melville, and Manhattan.
The fight is not over. You can still take action by calling and emailing your representative using this simple online tool to tell your member of Congress to protect Medicaid! We will also continue phone banking on Thursday, May 22, and Friday, May 23, at NYSNA’s New York City office. Sign up to join here.
Northwell/Huntington Hospital Nurses March on the Boss
Northwell/Huntington nurses are united in their fight for quality care for Long Island patients! On Wednesday, May 14, they packed the room at their clinical staffing meeting to testify on the need for safe staffing in their units. And on Thursday, May 15, they marched on the boss with over 425 petition signatures from nurses demanding a fair contract, presenting their petition directly to their chief nursing officer and Northwell/Huntington Hospital’s CEO.
They’ll be back at the bargaining table on Monday, May 19, where they will continue to turn out to ensure hospital executives know that nurses are united in their demands for safe staffing and the respectful pay and benefits needed to retain and recruit nurses. Huntington nurses are ready to settle a fair contract, but if their bosses stall, they are also prepared to organize and escalate to win the contract they and their patients deserve.