**MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, OCT. 6**: Public Sector Nurses and Elected Officials Speak Out for the Healthcare New Yorkers Deserve

Contact:  Kristi Barnes | press@nysna.org | 646-853-4489

**MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, OCT. 6**

Public Sector Nurses and Elected Officials Speak Out for the Healthcare New Yorkers Deserve

NYC Health+Hospitals nurses and allies launch campaign to strengthen NYC’s public healthcare system through pay equity, safe staffing and fair funding 

New York, N.Y. — Public sector nurses and elected officials are joining on the steps of City Hall to launch a campaign for a fair contract for the nearly 9,000 NYC Health+Hospitals/Mayorals nurses and fair funding for the nation’s largest public health system.  

NYC’s public sector nurses have been essential in saving lives throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but now the NYC Health+Hospitals system is facing crisis-level understaffing and underfunding. To rebuild and strengthen the city’s healthcare system to face the next crisis and to better serve the needs of all of New York’s communities, nurses are demanding pay equity with private sector nurses and a fair contract that helps recruit and retain enough nurses for safe patient care.  

Nurses and elected officials are also speaking out for increased investment in NYC Health+Hospitals, the backbone of the city’s healthcare system.  

New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) First Vice President Judith Cutchin, DNP, RN, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the deep inequalities in NYC’s public and private sector hospital systems, which led to a disproportionate number of people of color and low-income patients dying of COVID-19. We need full and fair funding for our public healthcare system as a matter of health equity and racial justice and to make the entire city more prepared to deal with the ongoing pandemic and future healthcare emergencies.” 

WHAT: Speak-out for the Healthcare New Yorkers Deserve 
WHO: NYSNA nurses and allies, including Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, NYC Deputy Comptroller Ricky da Costa, State Senator Gustavo Rivera, State Senator Brian Kavanagh, and City Council Members Erik Bottcher, Carmen De La Rosa, Jennifer Gutierrez, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Shekar Krishnan, Christopher Marte, Mercedes Narcisse, Sandy Nurse, Lincoln Restler, Sandra Ung, Marjorie Velasquez, and Julie Won. 
WHERE: The Steps of City Hall 
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 6. Press conference at noon. Media availabilities with nurses to follow. 
VISUALS: Hundreds of nurses and supporters rallying and chanting on the steps of City Hall with signs and banners.  

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The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) represents more than 42,000 members in New York State. We are New York’s largest union and professional association for registered nurses. For more information, visit nysna.org. 

About NYSNA

The New York State Nurses Association is a union of 42,000 frontline nurses united together for strength at work, our practice, safe staffing, and healthcare for all. We are New York's largest union and professional association for registered nurses.