**MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18 AT 11:30 AM**
Contact: Kristi Barnes | press@nysna.org | 646-853-4489
Public sector nurses and allies to hold Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.-inspired speak-out for health equity, including safe staffing and pay equity
On heels of NYC nurse strike contract wins for safe staffing, nearly 9,000 NYC H+H/Mayorals nurses with contract expiring in March 2023 say “We are nurses and we demand health equity”
New York, NY—To commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, NYSNA nurses from New York City Health+Hospitals (NYC H+H) / Mayorals are holding a speak-out and march on NYC H+H corporate headquarters with the message: We are nurses and we demand health equity.
NYC H+H/Mayorals nurses care for NYC’s most vulnerable patients and have been essential in saving lives throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They care for a disproportionate number of uninsured and underinsured patients. However, NYC’s public hospitals are the most understaffed and under-resourced and its nurses the most underpaid in New York City.
With a contract expiring on March 2, 2023, NYC H+H/Mayorals nurses are demanding that the City negotiate a fair contract with pay equity for nurses and health equity for patients and communities.
WHAT: “We are Nurses and We Demand Health Equity” MLK Speak-Out and March on NYC Health+Hospitals headquarters
WHO: NYSNA public-sector nurses, New York Communities for Change, and allies including New York City Councilmembers Amanda Farias, Carmen De La Rosa, and Crystal Hudson.
WHERE: NYC Health+Hospitals Headquarters, 55 Water Street, Manhattan
WHEN: Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 11:30 a.m.
March to follow speak-out. Media availabilities with public-sector nurses.
VISUALS: Nurses and supporters rallying with signs and banners and marching on NYC H+H headquarters.
BACKGROUND
NYC private-sector nurses at 10 hospitals recently settled new contracts and tentative agreements that made historic gains in safe staffing ratios and enforcement, maintained quality healthcare benefits and will increase wages by more than 19 percent over three years. The pay disparity between private- and public-sector nurses will grow to more than $19,500/year, which could further harm the public sector’s nurse retention efforts unless NYC H+H reactivates pay parity in the NYC H+H/Mayorals contract.
New York City Health+Hospitals is the largest public health system in the United States, caring for 1.4 million New Yorkers each year, regardless of ability to pay, including 475,000 uninsured patients. NYC H+H accounts for approximately 18% of total city-wide hospital beds and provides almost half of all Level I emergency trauma care and acute in-patient mental health services. The public system provides care to a disproportionate number of uninsured and under-insured residents, and also provides a disproportionate share of expensive health services that are poorly reimbursed (Level I Trauma and Emergency services; acute inpatient psychiatric services; obstetric/L&D services; primary care; and other services). It relies on more than $1 billion in City subsidies to maintain current operations.
NYSNA NYC H+H/Mayorals nurses work in 11 acute care hospitals, dozens of ambulatory care and primary care clinic settings, and four long-term care facilities. Mayoral nurses keep first responders like police and firefighters healthy and on the job, while also providing direct care health services to New Yorkers receiving assistance from agencies such as the Administration for Child Services, the Department of Social Services, and other programs providing homeless services and mental health crisis services.
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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.
