September 2013

At the September 24, 2013 Board of Directors meeting, our Board:

• Discussed the results of the recent New York City primary elections, comptroller, public advocate, and city council. NYSNA’s endorsed candidates performed well and secured victories in 18 out of 20 city council races, in addition to victories for our endorsed candidates for mayor and comptroller.
• Reviewed preparations for the October 16, 2013 NYSNA Convention. Topics covered include hospital finances, the Affordable Care Act, safe staffing, emergency/disaster response and preparedness, building labor/community alliances, and more. The Board also reviewed the daily workshop schedule, the call to action for an HHC/Mayorals contract, awards, and speakers.
• Passed a motion to create a NYSNA Political and Policy Platform, to support NYSNA’s lobbying efforts throughout the state and ensure the profession’s future in New York.
• Discussed proposed changes to NYSNA’s by-laws to further unify NYSNA members and strengthen the union.

July 2013

At the July 23, 2013 Board of Directors meeting, our Board:

• Reviewed the just-concluded legislative session, including victory over for-profit corporate and private equity investment in health care; defeat of unnecessary reform of “certificate of need”; defeat of the attempted downgrading of the ER in Lake Placid to an Urgent Care Center; and promotion of the safe staffing bill.
• Discussed the impact of health care restructuring on local bargaining efforts, and the importance of collaboration to achieve better access to care for patients, securing contracts, and language for succession and accretion in local bargaining units. The board also reviewed ways to organize NYSNA to educate, organize, and mobilize members to challenge corporate healthcare, and incorporate a strategic planning process to identify key campaigns to achieve that goal.
• Reviewed the status of the public sector throughout the state, recapping NYSNA’s victories as well as continuing struggles from Upstate to New York City; upcoming events and political actions; protests of assignment and grievances; and the upcoming Public Sector Conference on September 18, 2013.
• Recommended members to the By-laws Committee, Dues Task Force, Transition Task Force, and made recommendations for awards at the 2013 Convention.
• Reviewed preparations for the September 18 public sector conference.
• Heard a report from the Finance Committee, and passed a motion to accept the Independent Auditor’s Report dated March 31, 2013.

June 2013

At the June 18, 2013 Board of Directors meeting, our Board:

• Reviewed the Transition Task Force recommendations and approved recommendations to clarify the role of the Board of Director’s Executive Committee, which is made up of our union’s five top elected leaders: helping to prepare and facilitate the work of the entire board, and addressing major issues that need immediate attention. This recommendation, along with the other ones approved in May, will form the basis of proposed bylaws changes to be voted on by the NYSNA Voting Body.

• Reviewed the ongoing Campaign & Organizing report, including updates on an organizing victory among midwives at Maimonides, the status of NYSNA’s legislative activity at the end of the legislative session, and a review of the major HHC mobilization for respect on June 12.
• Passed a motion that improves communications between the Board and the organization
• Passed the Transition Task Force’s recommendation to expand and unify our work to defend nursing practice through an expanded Council on Nursing Practice. This recommendation will be a part of bylaws changes to be voted on at the NYSNA Convention.
• Approved a resolution that creates a new task force that will work with the ED to promote a broad understanding of our by-law recommendations and the sharpened focus on collective bargaining through Congress, legislation and the public policy making through the Council on Legislation, and Nursing Practice, Education, Research, and Ethics, through the CNP.

May 2013

At the May 20, 2013 Board of Directors meeting, our board:

• Reviewed the Transition Task Force recommendations and approved recommendations to streamline NYSNA councils, add Nominations and Election Committees to the bylaws, define committes, councils, and Practice Focus Groups in our policies, and eliminate Constituent District Assemblies. These recommendations will form the basis of proposed bylaws changes to be voted on by the NYSNA Voting Body.
• Conducted an evaluation of our Executive Director after her first six months at NYSNA, and adopted a resolution thanking her for exemplary performance and asking her to continue to lead and facilitate the ongoing transformation of NYSNA into a powerful, high-profile, member-driven labor union that fights for our patients, access to care, and our members’ rights.
• Approved recommendations from the Committee on Finance to accept the terms of purchase of the second floor of 131 W 33^rd St. as outlined in the summary from Key Bank.
• Passed a resolution opposing the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline to work with other union and organizations to call on President Obama to not approve the project.
• Approved the motion to fund the travel expenses of 20 NYSNA members and staff to attend the NNU Staff Nurse Assembly being held in San Francisco on June 19-21.

March 2013

At the March 26, 2013 Board of Directors meeting, our board:

• Reviewed the implementation of the steward training and the train-the-trainer program. We approved dates for the first Train-the-Trainer program: April 1-2 and April 8-9.
• Passed a resolution to have the facility representatives included in the steward training program.
• Approved the budget for the Fiscal Year of 2014.
• Approved the financial framework to purchase the additional floor on 131 W 33rd. St.
• Discussed the safe staffing campaign. We reviewed plans for the lobby day on April 16 and the May 21 Safe Staffing Day of Action. We discussed plans to increase legislative support and possible roadblocks in the legislature.
• Approved a plan to revamp NYSNA’s website and gave feedback on proposed mockups of the new site.
• Discussed the importance of nursing practice and strategized new approaches to increase member access and involvement with this critical resource.
• Passed a resolution naming Colleen Murphy as Chairperson of the Council of Nursing Practice.
• Approved the convention schedule, Oct. 16 – 18 in New York City.
• Discussed NYSNA’s arbitration policy, and passed a motion to maintain the current appeals process until further review.

February 2013

At the February 26, 2013 Board of Directors meeting, our board:

• Discussed the report of our Executive Director on the upcoming issues at Long Island College Hospital, Potsdam Medical Center, Olean Medical Center and the HHC contract campaign.
• Were led through an orientation of the roles and responsibilities of our Board of Directors, led by Anne Bové.
• Reconstituted the Transition Task Force, and passed a resolution tasking the Transition Task Force to review NYSNA’s structure and bylaws, and bring recommendations to the May and June meetings.
• Discussed plans for the upcoming NYSNA convention in October in New York City, including workshops, main sessions on the corporate attack on patient care, and a massive action to support HHC nurses.
• Passed a resolution to have NYSNA transfer an additional $45,000 to the NYSNA Disaster Relief Fund.

January 2013

At the January 22, 2013 Board of Directors meeting, our board:

• Discussed New York’s healthcare crisis, and the forces driving that crisis: the corporatization of patient care, the growth of hospital empires, and the push for a forprofit takeover of patient care. We discussed the negative impact these trends are having on our public and safety net hospitals. This discussion provides our framework for the changes we are making in NYSNA and steps we are taking as a Board to defend nursing practice and patient care.
• Passed a resolution to have NYSNA donate $10,000 to the Labor for Single Payer campaign.
• Discussed a plan to train hundreds of NYSNA members this year through a steward program.
• Passed a resolution to have NYSNA purchase the second floor at 131 W 33rd St. building.
• Passed a resolution in support of a campaign for fairness and healthcare justice at HHC: including a video highlighting the role of HHC nurses in defining nursing practice; a series of CE classes; and a public sector conference.
• Approved the upcoming Board of Directors meeting schedule for 2013.