NYSNA Nurses Deliver "Dear CEO" to Northwell's John D'Angelo to Demand a Fair Contract that Ensures Safe Patient Care
For immediate release: Thursday, Dec. 18
Contact: Andrea Penman-Lomeli | press@nysna.org | 347-559-3169
Kristi Barnes | press@nysna.org | 646-853-4489
NYSNA NURSES DELIVER “DEAR CEO” TO NORTHWELL’S JOHN D’ANGELO TO DEMAND A FAIR CONTRACT THAT ENSURES SAFE PATIENT CARE
Faced with Unprecedented Stalling and Delays from Northwell Management, NYSNA Nurses at Northwell/Plainview and Northwell/Syosset Pen Letter Demanding CEO Take Action and Protect Safe Patient Care
Meanwhile, Northwell/Huntington, Northwell/Plainview and Northwell/Syosset Nurses Take Strike Authorization Votes at All Three Hospitals
New Hyde Park, N.Y. - On Wednesday Dec. 17, New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) nurses from Northwell/Plainview and Northwell/Syosset delivered a letter addressed to Northwell’s new CEO, Dr. John D’Angelo, demanding he take action to ensure a fair contract.
More than 1,000 nurses at the three Northwell hospitals have been bargaining for a new union contract for months and have faced delay tactics and attempts to avoid the staffing issues plaguing their hospitals. NYSNA nurses are currently taking strike votes at Northwell/Huntington, Northwell/Plainview and Northwell/Syosset and are ready to take action if Northwell does not agree to a contract that helps recruit and retain nurses for safe staffing and protects healthcare benefits for the nurses who care for these communities.
Nurses know that Northwell management can afford to invest in safe patient care. Northwell is the state’s largest private employer and is investing in outrageous salaries and benefit packages for hospital executives. In 2023, the 20 top executives at Northwell made over $36.7 million in salaries, bonuses and perks. This includes their outgoing CEO Michael Dowling, who alone made over $9 million in 2023.
New CEO John D’Angelo most recently served as Northwell’s Senior Vice President/ Regional Executive Director. He ranked #8 in executive compensation at Northwell in 2023, the most recent tax filings available, pulling in over $1.5 million in salary, benefits and perks.
NYSNA launched a new website and advertising campaign called “Northwealth” in support of Long Island nurses. The campaign calls attention to Northwell’s outrageous executive pay, investment in expanding through mergers and acquisitions, and history of hiking up patient prices after they acquire smaller community hospitals. Northwell Nurses United members are fighting to make sure Northwell puts patients before profits.
Cynthia Donenfeld, RN, at Northwell/Plainview, who wrote the original letter, said, “The disconnect between your message of shared purpose, the actions of your bargaining team, and the reality of these contract proposals is disheartening and disillusioning. All Northwell nurses want is to deliver safe, high-quality care with dignity and support. We need our leadership to truly share our commitment to compassionate, quality care. You can demonstrate your commitment by negotiating the fair contracts that Northwell nurses and patients deserve.”
NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, BSN, RN, CCRN, said, “NYSNA nurses are making big changes on Long Island and standing up to the state’s largest private employer. This is what nurses do. They are first and foremost patient advocates, fighting to improve patient care. Northwell nurses are united and will not stop until they get the contracts that respect patients and Long Island communities.”
Nurses hope to settle their contract by the end of the year. However, over the last few months, instead of addressing safe staffing, Northwell management has asked for major concessions that could erode quality care on Long Island. While management wants to keep staffing ratios that don’t reflect the increased demands in units like the emergency room, where nurses are asked to take care of up to twelve patients, nurses are demanding safe staffing ratios that keep patients safe in their contracts.
This letter to the new CEO comes on the heels of a speak-out at Northwell headquarters on Dec. 12 where NYSNA nurses from Northwell/Huntington, Northwell/Plainview and Northwell/Syosset announced that they would begin taking strike authorization votes. A yes vote authorizes NYSNA’s bargaining committees to call for a strike if a contract is not reached by their target deadline of Dec. 31.
NYSNA Northwell nurses across New York have won strong contracts in recent years, including at Northwell/ South Shore University Hospital earlier this year, and at LIJ Valley Stream, Peconic Bay Medical Center and Staten Island University Hospital in 2024. NYSNA is the voice of RNs throughout the Northwell system, representing over 4,000 members at seven facilities throughout Long Island and Staten Island. When Northwell acquired Nuvance Health earlier this year, another 1,225 NYSNA nurses at two hospitals joined the Northwell system at Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Putnam Hospital. Together, NYSNA nurses have secured strong contracts that raise the standards for patients, nurses, and our communities.
Approximately 20,000 NYSNA nurses in 12 New York City hospitals are also bargaining with a deadline of Dec. 31, 2025, to settle fair contracts. This week, nurses at several New York City hospitals began voting to authorize a strike. Going on strike is always a last resort, and NYSNA nurses will continue to do everything within their power to settle fair contracts.
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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.