Montefiore Nyack Hospital nurses reach tentative agreement

Agreement Comes on Heels of Contract negotiations at Montefiore Mount Vernon and New Rochelle Hospitals After Marathon All-Night Bargaining Session, Nurses Win Staffing Ratios, Record-Setting Wage Increases, NYSNA Pension

After a bargaining session that lasted 24-hours and before a Dec. 31 contract expiration date, New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) nurses at Montefiore Nyack Hospital reached a tentative agreement with the hospital. More than 400 nurses at Nyack are now poised to vote on whether to ratify the new tentative agreement that includes:

– Safe staffing ratios in the contract for the first time, with an improved pathway to hold management accountable for patient safety.

– Record-setting wage increases that average 14% in the first year, and up to 20% for new nurses in year 1 to help recruit more nurses.

– Inclusion in the NYSNA pension, a goal Nyack nurses have fought for decades to accomplish.

– Recognition of Juneteenth and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as celebrated holidays.

– Improved tuition reimbursement and pay differentials for specialized roles like preceptor, charge and team
leader.

This latest tentative agreement comes on the heels of settlements at two other Montefiore Lower Hudson Valley hospitals, Mount Vernon and New Rochelle Hospitals. Nearly 800 nurses across the three facilities bargained with a common contract expiration date and common bargaining platform for the first time.Voting to ratify the tentative agreement is scheduled for early January.

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, said: “I could not be prouder of these nurses, who demonstrated tremendous solidarity and resolve through months of difficult negotiations. When nurses fight, we win for our patients and our profession. The landmark gains in this tentative agreement will help our nurses deliver the quality care every community deserves.”

Anna Marie Perkins, RN, the president of the local bargaining unit at Montefiore Nyack, said: “Nurses at Nyack have been struggling to achieve safe staffing ratios, competitive wages and better benefits that will help fill nurse vacancies and retain nurses for quality care. Better benefits like the NYSNA pension will help retain nurses and demonstrate respect for the hard work we do. This agreement finally puts Nyack nurses in line with wages and benefits of other Montefiore facilities and that should make a huge difference in retaining nurses and improving working conditions and quality care for our patients.”

The nurses held speak-outs with labor, community, and elected allies in November at Mount Vernon and Nyack Hospital in December. They spoke out about understaffing and high nurse vacancy rates at the facilities, and demanded fair contracts that would help recruit and retain enough nurses for safe, quality patient care.

On Dec. 19, approximately 96% of the nurses voted to authorize a strike at Montefiore Nyack, New Rochelle, and Mount Vernon Hospitals in the Lower Hudson Valley, demonstrating they were ready to do whatever it takes to win a fair contract.