REPORT: July/August 2006

Back to the future at Nyack Hospital?

by Mark Genovese

It seemed like “old times” again at Nyack Hospital, as more than 200 RNs picketed to protest management’s efforts to intimidate nurses during contract negotiations – tactics reminiscent of the 1990s, when Nyack nurses were forced to strike three times.

The nurses are trying to stop the use of forced overtime, limit floating to dissimilar units, and reduce the rate of RN turnover.

Thus far, management has made demands that will impede the recruitment and retention of RNs. It has demanded givebacks in experience pay, offered salary increases that don’t keep up with inflation, and sought to increase nurses’ health insurance costs by at least 500% – despite the fact that the hospital’s insurance costs went down last year.

Management has also insisted that all proposals be considered in a take-it-or-leave-it package, has demanded that NYSNA withdraw all grievances, and has deliberately misled the public about the nurses’ salary requests.

“We’ve made every effort to be patient, reasonable, and flexible in light of the hospital’s reported cash-flow problems,” said Anna Marie Perkins, chair of the bargaining unit. “Nyack is our community. We’re dedicated to providing the best possible care to our patients and making Nyack Hospital the best it can possibly be. However, management’s negotiating team hasn’t been willing to show us the same consideration.”