Dear Friend,

NYSNA Celebrates International Workers’ Day

Across New York state, NYSNA nurses are rallying alongside other workers in celebration of International Workers’ Day and in defense of workers’ rights! International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day, is a holiday celebrated across the world in honor of workers’ rights and the labor movement. In New York City, NYSNA nurses are rallying and marching with our union siblings and other allies in Washington Square Park; and in Albany, NYSNA nurses are joining the Capital District Area Labor Federation and other allies to bring the fight for workers’ rights to our state capitol. Check out the opinion editorial published today in the New York Daily News that NYSNA Director at Large Sonia Lawrence, RN, BSN, and New York Taxi Workers Alliance Executive Director Bhairavi Desai wrote, making the connection between workers’ rights and immigrant rights. Stay tuned for photos on social media and in next week’s weekly newsletter — and Happy International Workers’ Day!

NEW Protesting Your Assignment Self-Guided Course

Just in time for Nurses’ Week, NYSNA’s Nursing Education and Practice (NEP) department has a new “Protesting Your Assignment” self-guided course. Click here to read more about the course and how you can use Protests of Assignment to improve safe, quality healthcare. To access the course, go directly to the E-LearRN website.

UVM-CVPH Healthcare Workers Speak Out for Safe Staffing and a Fair Contract

On Wednesday, Apr. 29, NYSNA healthcare workers at University of Vermont-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) held a speak-out to demand safe staffing and a fair contract. NYSNA healthcare workers were joined at the speak-out by Kim Hartshorn, Secretary of the Northeast Central CLC, and received coverage in NBC5, ABC22, the Sun Community News, and WAMC.

Last year, CVPH changed staffing ratios in four medical-surgical units over nurses’ objections, violating NYSNA members’ contract and making the hospital less safe. Now, in the midst of NYSNA members’ fight for a new contract, CVPH management is once again putting patient care at risk and trying to avoid accountability by refusing to include enforceable safe staffing language in healthcare workers’ contract. NYSNA members, though, are committed to caring for their community and will continue to fight for a fair contract that ensures safe, quality care for CVPH patients!

North Country Nurses Advocate for Fair Funding for Rural Healthcare

On Tuesday, Apr. 28, NYSNA members from across the North Country traveled to Albany to hold a briefing for legislators where they spoke on the critical need for funding to improve rural healthcare. Decades of disinvestment, service closures and hospital consolidation have eroded access to care in the North Country, New York’s largest and most rural region, and the federal cuts to healthcare funding only stand to exacerbate the ongoing crisis.

Already, rural communities are beginning to see the impacts of the Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Earlier this year, North Star/Carthage Area Hospital and Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center filed for bankruptcy and announced potential service cuts and closures. NYSNA nurses spoke out, demanding that the state take action to ensure access to care for their patients and communities, and they successfully advocated for the funds necessary to keep their hospitals open. This week, they brought the fight to Albany to demand that legislators fairly fund rural safety-net hospitals and ensure access to care for all North Country residents! Keep up the great work, North Country nurses!

On Wednesday, Politico covered the nurses’ fight against a proposal in the New York state budget that would leave patients Home All Alone. Read our open letter to Governor Kathy Hochul to learn more about why nurses oppose this proposal.

Next week, NYSNA nurses are back in Albany to advocate for fair hospital funding, against the Hospital at Home program and more. With the state budget more than one month late, there is still time to advocate for what nurses and patients deserve. Stay tuned!

NYP-Brooklyn Methodist Nurses Take Action

Shout out to NYP-Brooklyn Methodist nurses who are taking action for a fair contract! Last Friday, nurses showed their solidarity by wearing buttons at work that said “Fair Contact Now” and “Safe Nurses = Safe Patients.” On the same day, dozens of members gathered at bargaining to deliver a petition to management signed by over 1,100 RNs. Vilma, a Contract Action Team member, rolled up to management on roller skates to hand management the petitions! Check out photos from the action on Facebook.

The nurses also started community outreach to build support for improving nurse and patient safety at the hospital. So far, approximately 50 businesses in Park Slope have put up signs in solidarity with nurses!

Arlington Central School District Nurses Kick Off Contract Campaign

NYSNA members in the Arlington Central School District kicked off bargaining this week with an impressive showing: Nearly all (95%) bargaining unit members attended the first day of contract negotiations! This is the first time negotiations have been open to the bargaining unit, and members took the opportunity to show their union power. One of Arlington members’ key demands during this campaign is respect for nurses and our profession. Keep showing up in force like this, Arlington nurses, to remind the school district: When nurses fight, we win!

Montefiore Nurses Successfully Advocate to Maintain Labor-Management Meetings

Earlier this month, Montefiore management tried to unilaterally change the length of labor-management meetings from two hours to one. NYSNA nurses pushed back against this change; citing the need for time to address the multitude of issues they experience at Monte, including payroll errors and management’s attempts to sidesteps agreements reached during this winter’s historic contract campaign.

When management refused nurses’ demands, the Member Action Team at Montefiore organized a digital campaign to express nurses’ frustration at the change and demand Monte restore the original meeting time. Approximately 130 nurses sent emails to Monte decision-makers, and within a week management had enough! They restored our past practice, changing labor-management meetings back to two hours. Congrats, Monte nurses, let’s keep pushing for respect!

Spring 2026 Labor Education Trainings Open for Registration

NYSNA’s Labor Education Department trains members on how to become more engaged in the union’s work. It’s not too late to sign up for our four-part Leadership Training taking place starting next week on four consecutive Thursdays: May 7, May 14 and May 21. While taking all four parts is recommended, we encourage members to take as many as possible, with more trainings planned for the future. You can register here and please share with your coworkers!

Download and share Labor Education’s updated full spring schedule here, and look out for our summer schedule soon.

Please email [email protected] directly if you have questions or to schedule a workshop in your facility.

Tell Albany: Don’t Leave Patients Home All Alone!

There is a proposal in the state budget to leave patients Home All Alone instead of in hospitals with 24/7 quality care. Under Hospital at Home programs, healthcare professionals monitor patients virtually in their homes instead of receiving around-the-clock expert care. Help us sound the alarm about this proposal that puts patient safety at risk. Learn more and sign the petition today!

Take Action to Fix Tier 6!

All workers deserve to retire with dignity and respect. That’s why New York state needs to take action now to Fix Tier 6! Tier 6 is the retirement plan for New York state’s public employees who joined the program after April 2012. This plan makes enrollees pay into the program for their entire careers at higher rates than previous plans and prevents enrollees from retiring before age 63 without facing heavy penalties. Tier 6 leads to significantly reduced pensions, which disincentivize New Yorkers — including nurses — from working in the public sector. In light of federal attacks on healthcare funding, our state legislators must do everything possible to help public sector hospitals recruit and retain enough nurses to safely care for the New Yorkers who need it most! To take action to fix Tier 6, use this form to email your legislators today!

American Agitators: A Documentary Inspired by Fred Ross, Sr.

American Agitators, a new documentary about the importance of patience and deep listening in organizing and inspired by the life of Fred Ross, Sr., one of the most influential grassroots organizers of the 20th century, is debuting at Quad Cinema in New York City this weekend and playing until May 7. The documentary explores the life of Ross, as well as his work with legendary organizer Dolores Huerta and the United Farmworkers Union. The film also traces Ross' legacy through recent fights for fair wages and contracts in Oakland, CA and Atlanta, GA. Watch the trailer for American Agitators.

Audra Makuch, NYSNA’s Long Island Area Director, has been working to support the production of American Agitators and will speak on panels following the 7:00 pm showings on Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2. You can buy tickets to the screenings here.

Your Rights to Advocate for Patients When Encountering ICE

Nurses’ first duty is to care for and advocate for our patients. NYSNA nurses care for all New Yorkers regardless of immigration status, income or insurance status, race, religion, ability or disability, sexuality, or gender identity or expression — simply regardless. Read our statement regarding the federal policy change on immigration enforcement in “sensitive locations,” including hospitals and schools.

Our allies at the New York Immigration Coalition developed this toolkit to provide a comprehensive list of resources for community members, partners and allies who work with immigrants. The toolkit covers health, community safety, family resources, financial empowerment and more.

Learn your rights and get answers to frequently asked questions here to know what to do if you encounter ICE officers in your facility.

NYSNA has also prepared this list of legal resources related to immigration. Please review and share widely.

Workplace Violence Prevention

Workplace violence remains one of the biggest concerns for NYSNA members. While workplace violence rates have fallen overall in the U.S., they continue to rise in the healthcare workplace. Unfortunately, nurses are the most frequent victims. A new law and new contract language aim to protect healthcare workers from workplace violence.

Learn more about a new state law that will soon require hospitals and nursing homes to conduct workplace violence assessments and create workplace violence prevention plans. And learn more about how NYSNA members have used their collective bargaining agreements to improve safety.

Sign Up for New NNU Courses Free for NYSNA Members

National Nurses United (NNU) is offering FREE virtual courses for NYSNA members. New Spring 2026 courses have been added. View the full calendar and register here, or click on the links below to learn more and register for the courses you’re interested in. When registering for NNU courses, be sure to check the first box, “Yes, I am a CNA/NNOC/NNU member.”

Spring offerings:

• “Our Patients Are Safe When We Are Safe: Workplace Violence and Back Injury Prevention in Health Care Facilities”

• “Our Patients are Safe When We Are Safe and Environments of Harm”

• “Nursing Practice in Our Current Moment & Some Cuts Don’t Heal”

• “Immigrant Justice, Global Migration, and Public Health & Increasing Danger of Workplace Violence in Health Care”

• “Hospital Staffing and Bearing Witness, Building Power”

• “Housing and Health-and-Health Care and Big Tech”

• “Some Cuts Don’t Heal: Protecting the Right to Care”

• “Immigrant Justice, Global Migration, and Public Health”

Celebrating Connection, Innovation and Community at Seminar at Sea 2026

Seminar at Sea (SAS) 2026 was a remarkable success, made possible by the leadership of our President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN; our Executive Director Pat Kane, RN; and the incredible support of more than 155 members, along with their friends and family members. NYSNA members’ participation transformed this voyage into a vibrant learning community and an unforgettable shared experience.

This year’s seminar featured engaging presentations exploring artificial intelligence in nursing, sparking thoughtful discussion about innovation, ethics and the future of nursing practice. Participants didn’t just attend — they engaged with this urgent topic. The energy, curiosity and willingness to collaborate during group activities enriched every session and underscored the strength of our collective expertise.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed their time, ideas and enthusiasm. Your engagement is what makes SAS more than an event — it makes SAS a community committed to growth and excellence.

We are already looking ahead with excitement and hope you will join us again for SAS 2027, sailing May 29 through June 5, 2027, from Italy to Montenegro, Greece and Croatia. We look forward to welcoming you back for another inspiring journey at sea. Registration will open soon for 2027.

Applications for 2026 Secor Scholarships Now Open

The Secor Scholarship Fund, established in 2007, was made possible by a generous bequest by long-time NYSNA member Jane Secor, PhD, RN. Dr. Secor stipulated that the endowment be used for furthering nursing education. Two Secor Scholarships are awarded annually, and applications are now open. One $5,000 scholarship is given to a NYSNA member pursuing a baccalaureate (or higher) degree in nursing. Another $5,000 is awarded to a family member seeking a first degree in nursing. The degree can be at any level, but it must be the first degree in nursing sought by the applicant. Click on this flyer for more information, and visit our website to apply.

Reporting Child Abuse Course Addendum Is Live on E-LeaRN

NYSNA’s Nursing Education and Practice (NEP) is happy to announce that NYSNA’S NYS Child Abuse: Identification and Reporting, 8th Edition — Addendum online course is now live on our E-LeaRN platform.

Anyone who completed the NYSNA course, NYS Child Abuse: Identification and Reporting, 8th Edition, through the NYSNA E-LeaRN platform between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2025, is eligible to complete the addendum course with us. The addendum course is free for NYSNA members. If you are eligible, you may access the addendum course by logging onto E-LeaRN by clicking “Browse Catalog” and searching for “addendum.”

Every person who is required to take the mandated training related to child abuse must take either the full three-hour course or the one-hour addendum portion of the training by Nov. 17, 2026.

Check out the NYSNA website for the latest updates to this requirement. If you have any questions about your E-LeaRN account, please contact NEP at [email protected].

Call for Submissions! The Journal of the New York State Nurses Association

The Journal of the New York Nurses Association is calling for submissions. Authors are invited to submit scholarly papers, research studies, brief reports on clinical or educational innovations, and articles of opinion on subjects important to registered nurses. Of particular interest are papers addressing direct care issues. New authors and student authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts for publication. Read the latest flyer outlining submission categories here. Read the guidelines for submission here.

The latest volume of The Journal of the New York State Nurses Association is out now! You can read it here.

Med-Ed Continuing Education Discount

NYSNA has partnered with Med-Ed Continuing Nursing Education to provide NYSNA members with full access to the complete Med-Ed catalog at a 50% reduced rate. These are all self-study programs that members can access and complete at their leisure. You can access these course offerings by going to NYSNA’s members-only website here, then clicking on the Med-Ed website link, and entering the Promo Code NYSNAMEMBER at checkout, where the discount will apply.

Please do not share this information with any nonmembers.

2026 Nurse Education and Practice Workshops

Sign up for Nurse Education and Practice Workshops in 2026! NYSNA members can take advantage of FREE E-LeaRN courses, including state-mandated offerings, standard of practice and certification review courses, as well as nursing practice workshops. Take a look at the 2026 complete course offering, and register for the courses directly here. You must create an account and be signed in to search the full catalog of classes and register for them at no cost!

Calling All Nurse Practitioners

The NYSNA Nursing Education and Practice Department has added required and important educational offerings specifically for nurse practitioners (NPs). The courses include new, updated and mandated courses. Learn more and register for these classes for NYSNA NPs.

Nurses’ Rights to Be Whistleblowers and Protest Your Assignments

NYSNA members should be empowered with the knowledge of laws that have been passed with NYSNA’s input to protect them and empower them to speak up when patient safety is compromised, either due to unsafe staffing or other factors, such as a lack of personal protective equipment, as was the case throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Take a moment to learn about your rights in this flyer.

NYSNA Life Insurance — It’s Time to Designate Your Beneficiary!

NYSNA already provides members with a great benefit at no cost: Basic MetLife Life Insurance! This coverage provides $20,000 of Basic Life Insurance and $20,000 of Basic Personal Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance. All active members in good standing represented for collective bargaining through the union will automatically be enrolled in the plan. This union benefit is in addition to any other insurance provided by your benefits fund, your contract or through your employer.

But for your loved ones to receive this benefit, you must designate them as a beneficiary! To enroll and receive instructions on designating a beneficiary for your new Basic Personal AD&D Insurance, go to nysnawinstonbenefits.com or call 1-866-483-1124.

Sign up with your NYSNA Member ID to set up and access your account and benefits. If you need your Member ID, please contact the NYSNA Membership department at [email protected]. Download the flyer for additional details.

NYSNA Will-Writing Benefits From MetLife

The NYSNA Benefits Fund gives NYSNA members who are covered by the NYSNA Benefits Fund access to personal will preparation services that MetLife Legal Plans offer — at no additional cost.

Having a will prevents unnecessary stress and ensures final wishes are clear. The Benefits Fund offers valuable legal resources through MetLife Legal Plans to assist with creating or updating a will with a member’s Basic Life coverage. As part of this benefit, members get legal guidance and unlimited consultations with network attorneys. Learn more here.

NYSNA Members Are Eligible for AFL-CIO’s Union Plus Benefits!

The benefits of being a NYSNA member extend beyond your NYSNA benefits. As an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, NYSNA members are also eligible for Union Plus benefits to help current and retired labor union members and their families save money and support them through major milestones, celebrations and hardships. These benefits include discounts on wireless plans, credit card deals, mortgage deals, insurance plans and more! Find out more on the AFL-CIO Union Plus website.

The Talkspace Go App Is Mental Health on the Go!

The Talkspace Go app is a great resource that provides daily mental health support on the go! Talkspace Go is a clinician-created, self-guided app so you can address mental health challenges and build mental fitness on your own schedule. It empowers couples, individuals and parents to take progress into their own hands in as little as five minutes a day. Access 400-plus self-guided classes and live weekly therapist-led, anonymous classes. Enjoy assessments, meditation exercises, journaling, reminders and more.

Talkspace Go app is available at no cost to members and their eligible household members! Click here for the instructions and passcode to access the app.

Free Benefits for NYSNA Members: Union Assistance Program and SPAN

The Union Assistance Program (UAP) is a confidential self-help program, independent from NYSNA, that is available to NYSNA members and their families as a membership benefit. When an employee or family member (18 or older) faces a significant personal problem, they can call UAP’s experienced counselors at 800-252-4555 for assistance at any time. Read more information on phone counseling services here.

Statewide Peer Assistance for Nurses (SPAN) is a confidential education, support and advocacy program for all nurses licensed in New York state who are dealing with substance use issues. Visit the SPAN website for more information or to sign up for one of its upcoming classes. Check out SPAN’s Compassion Project.

In solidarity,
Pat Kane, RN
Executive Director, NYSNA