NYSNA Update: May 30, 2025
NYSNA Celebrates Pride Month
June is Pride Month! NYSNA celebrates our LGBTQ+ members, colleagues and patients and renews our commitment to fighting for the LGBTQ+ community’s rights and healthcare. At a time when LGBTQ+ rights are under attack, especially for trans and gender nonconforming people, it is more important than ever that we fight to ensure LGBTQ+ patients receive the care, dignity and respect they deserve. Join NYSNA at various Pride celebrations this month: Buffalo Pride on June 1, Albany Pride on June 8, and New York City Pride on June 29.
NYSNA Nurses at NYP Speak Out Against Cuts and Layoffs
NYSNA nurses are fighting back against NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP) Hospital’s plan to cut services and lay off nurses throughout the system. On May 5, on the eve of Nurses Week, NYP Health System executives announced 2% cuts across the board, which could mean more than 1,000 healthcare workers will lose their jobs.
On Tuesday, May 27, NYP-Columbia NYSNA nurses attended a Community Board 12 meeting calling on board members and community members to take action to stop the cuts and support safe, quality care. Pediatric nurse practitioners and palliative care nurses who were notified they would be laid off gave powerful testimony about the impact this loss of service will have on their patients, their colleagues and the community. NYNSA nurses also expressed their deep frustration that as healthcare workers are fighting the federal government’s egregious attacks on Medicaid, they are also being forced to fight their employer — the wealthiest healthcare system in New York City — for taking advantage of this critical moment to put profits over patients.
After the meeting, over 150 people emailed letters to NYP CEO Steve Corwin and the board of trustees. NYSNA nurses have the momentum and will continue fighting to stop these egregious cuts.
Albany Med Nurses Hold Legislative Briefing for Allies
On Thursday, May 29, NYSNA nurses at Albany Medical Center held a virtual legislative briefing to update New York elected officials and labor and community allies on the status of contract bargaining and the New York Department of Health (DOH)’s investigation of Albany Med.
Nurses reminded briefing attendees that it has been almost one year since the DOH’s initial visit to Albany Med on June 4, 2024. Since this visit, the DOH issued a deficiency report with over 500 violations that Albany Med hid from nurses for months. The nurses’ struggle has garnered extensive press coverage and a letter of support from New York elected officials.
Despite the hospital’s disregard for the law, the DOH has yet to issue any fines. Nurses are urging legislators and community allies to help them hold the hospital accountable and apply pressure to the DOH to do the same. The nurses plan to turn up the heat at a speak-out on June 5 and call on Albany Med’s Board of Trustees to address the violations that the DOH outlined and help settle a fair contract for nurses. Without action, nurses contend this law-breaking behavior will continue; nurses will continue to leave the hospital; and patient care will continue to be put at risk. Their next bargaining date is June 12, and they will continue to fight for safe staffing and a contract that respects nurses and patients.