Contact: Kristi Barnes | press@nysna.org | 646-853-4489
Nurses Fight Back Against Cuts to their Healthcare and Sick Leave, Speak Out for Safe Staffing to Care for Vulnerable Seniors
New York, NY - Members of the New York State Nurses Association at Ozanam Hall of Queens Nursing Home will hold an informational picket outside the nursing home on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 12:00 p.m. noon. The picket comes after nearly eight months of contract negotiations. NYSNA nurses are demanding a fair contract that includes safe staffing ratios, strong retention policies, and good healthcare benefits.
Nurses are calling attention to the dangers of mandated overtime at their facility as a result of unsafe staffing conditions. Nurses are pushed to work for 16 hours straight on a regular basis.
In the wake of many Ozanam nurses falling ill during the COVID-19 pandemic, management is proposing to reduce and restrict nurses’ sick leave. Ozanam administration is also proposing to reduce nurses’ health benefits and increase the cost to nurses. NYSNA members are speaking out about why good benefits are essential to keep them healthy and able to care for residents.
WHAT: Nurses informational picket for safe staffing, healthcare benefits and a fair contract
WHO: NYSNA nurses and allies, including Assemblymembers Ed Braunstein and Ron Kim
WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 12:00 p.m. noon
WHERE: In front of Ozanam Hall, 42-41 201st St, Bayside, NY 11361
*Media availabilities with individual nurses*
Local NYSNA President at Ozanam Hall of Queens Nursing Home, Sabrina Adonus, RN, said: “Nurses faced severe staffing and PPE shortages through the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us fell ill and lost loved ones. Today we still have too few nurses pushed to work too many hours to provide care for our residents. Ozanam management refuses to listen to the nurses about safe staffing, and they want to limit our sick time and healthcare benefits and increase our costs. We need Ozanam Health to negotiate a fair contract that includes the safe staffing and healthcare benefits we need to provide quality care.”
###
The New York State Nurses Association represents more than 42,000 members in New York State. We are New York’s largest union and professional association for registered nurses. NYSNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United, AFL-CIO, the country's largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses, with more than 225,000 members nationwide.
For more information, visit nysna.org.
