For Immediate Release: Feb. 8, 2024
Contact: Kristi Barnes | press@nysna.org | 646-853-4489
Diana Moreno | press@nysna.org | 917-327-2302
NYSNA Healthcare Workers Say Northwell Health’s Greed Leaves Patient in Need
NYSNA Nurses Launch Ad Campaign and Call on Northwell Health to Deliver Fair Contracts at LIJ Valley Stream and Peconic
Long Island Labor Launches Solidarity Letter in Support of NYSNA Members
Long Island, N.Y.— Today the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) launched an advertising campaign that focuses on Northwell’s high executive pay, while its healthcare workers at Peconic are some of the lowest paid on Long Island. A new public website reveals, “Northwell Health CEO Michael Dowling made $7.7 million dollars in 2021 in salary, bonus and perks.”
The healthcare workers and their union are demanding that Northwell Health negotiate fair contracts for approximately 700 healthcare professionals at Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Valley Stream and Peconic Bay Medical Center (Peconic).
Last week on Feb. 1, NYSNA members took to the streets outside both hospitals to speak out for fair contracts and announce that they voted by a margin of 99.5% to authorize a strike after seeing little progress in negotiations. They are back at the bargaining table this week with the priority of winning safe staffing and fair wages. Nurses at LIJ Valley Stream are at the table today, and Peconic members are at the table tomorrow.
The Long Island Federation of Labor and 22 labor unions sent their own message to Northwell Health CEO, Michael Dowling. In a letter delivered this week, they took aim at private hospitals’ pursuit of profits and said, “We call on Northwell Health to immediately deliver and finalize a fair contract. Do the right thing.”
Nancy Hagans, RN, President of the New York State Nurses Association, said: “It’s time for Northwell to put patients over profits. NYSNA members at every facility on Long Island deserve safe staffing and fair pay, so they can deliver quality care in every community they serve. Striking is always a last resort, but Northwell nurses and healthcare professionals are ready to do whatever it takes to win fair contracts.”
NYSNA local leader at LIJ Valley Stream Sandra Armstrong, RN, stated: "Our nurses at LIJ Valley Stream are committed to providing quality care and to do that, we need a fair contract that helps us recruit and retain enough nurses. We are physically, mentally, and emotionally tired of continually doing more with less. We are tired of seeing Northwell invest in outrageous pay for their executives, in building facelifts and advertising, but not in quality patient care and the nurses who have sacrificed our own health and well-being throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to care for our community. Nurses and patients deserve safe staffing – and we are willing to fight for it."
Chris Honor, RN, BSN, CAPA, local president at Peconic and NYSNA Southeastern Regional Director, said: “We are tired of being disrespected. For 22 years, nurses have been polled as the most trusted profession in the country. All we’re asking for is to be treated fairly. We’re not looking to be the highest paid, we’re looking to be fairly compensated for providing quality care and services for 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.
