ONEIDA, N.Y. — Nurses at Oneida Health Hospital on Friday voted to ratify a new three-year contract.
The new deal includes wage increases and incentives to help recruit and retain nurses and no concessions on benefits, the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) said in announcing the deal. The announcement didn’t disclose the vote total but said the contract was ratified “overwhelmingly” by nurses.
The NYSNA went on to say that nurses won improvements to recruitment and retention that will “ensure that there are enough nurses to safely care for patients.” They also won yearly 3-percent wage increases, a bonus on ratification, additional pay increases to retain experienced nurses, and maintained their benefits.
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“I’m so proud of what we were able to achieve,” Donna Maccarone, a registered nurse, said in the NYSNA announcement. “We fought because we care for this community and believe that patients and nurses deserve better. These improvements will ensure that we have enough nurses to provide the absolute best care possible.”
“Oneida Health’s contract with the NYSNA union has been ratified. This milestone reinforces our commitment to maintaining high standards of patient care, collaboration, and stability for our team,” Felissa Koernig, president and CEO of Oneida Health, said in a statement forwarded to CNYBJ.
In its statement, the NYSNA said nurses at Oneida Health Hospital had been fighting for a contract since the fall. They met with legislators, launched a public letter-writing campaign, hosted a speak-out, launched an advertising and lawn sign campaign.
About NYSNA
The New York State Nurses Association represents more than 42,000 members in New York State. It describes itself as the state’s largest union and professional association for registered nurses.
The 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, per the announcement.
