NYSNA Nurses at Gracie Square Hospital Reach Tentative Agreement

Agreement Comes on the Heels of Overwhelming Support for a Strike

If Ratified Later This Week, Contract Will Improve Nurse Staffing and Increase Wages

New York, NY— Nurses at Gracie Square Hospital, part of NewYork-Presbyterian health system and one of the few dedicated psychiatric hospitals in New York City, reached a tentative agreement on Tuesday morning, Sept. 12 after spending five months at the bargaining table.

The tentative agreement addresses two of the most important demands for nurses: safe staffing and respectful wages. The salary gains at Gracie, if ratified by a majority of its members later this week, would be on par with recent agreements at other NewYork-Presbyterian hospitals.

The agreement includes the immediate hire of two additional day and night shift nurses to meet growing patient demand. It also strengthens enforcement of safe staffing ratios by establishing a grievance and arbitration process.

This tentative contract agreement comes on the heels of an overwhelming ‘yes’ vote—95%—to authorize a strike. The strike vote sent a strong message to management that nurses were ready to do whatever it takes to win a fair contract. After tallying the strike authorization vote Monday morning, nurses headed back to the table for a marathon all-night session, reaching an agreement in the early hours of Sept. 12.

The vote to ratify the contract will take place Thursday and Friday this week. More contract details will be available after NYSNA members ratify the contract.

NYSNA Executive Committee member Jacqueline Battice, RN, said, “The NYSNA Executive Committee is pleased that Gracie Square reached a tentative agreement with the union early Tuesday morning. The process was long and taxing, but we stood strong and fought for what we know we and our patients deserve. Our commitment to providing quality care to the most vulnerable population never wavered during this process. Winning a contract that addresses staffing concerns is just one step towards maintaining safety for ourselves and our patients.”

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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.