May 7, 2024 — May is National Nurses Month and PEF pulled out all the stops for issues important to nurses, hospitals, and the communities they serve – from Nurse Lobby Day on April 15 in Albany to the fightback campaign staving off closure of SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn.
SUNY Downstate
After learning earlier this year about a plan to close SUNY Downstate, PEF and UUP orchestrated a fightback campaign to make sure it did not happen. The two unions, along with concerned clergy in New York City, legislators in Albany, and Brooklyn community leaders held rallies, meetings, and marches to pressure the governor and lawmakers to reject the plan.
For the moment, those efforts have paid off.
Thanks to the support of State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, Assemblymember Brian Cunningham, the Majority Conferences in both houses of the Legislature, and Gov. Kathy Hochul, a new advisory board will convene to discuss the hospital’s finances, the services it provides, and the health care needs of the community.
“PEF remains committed to engaging stakeholders on the importance of this state-operated hospital,” said President Wayne Spence. “The Brooklyn Needs Downstate Coalition will continue its efforts to educate everyone about the essential dual roles played by Downstate – delivering essential healthcare in Brooklyn and educating the next generation of healthcare professionals.”
PEF Executive Board member and SUNY Downstate nurse Joan Rosegreen will continue to keep the campaign alive as long as needed.
“I have been going around the unit and informing our members that we are going to stay open,” said Rosegreen.
She said she also shares that message with patients, letting them know Downstate is “open for business” and asks them to tell their family and friends that Brooklyn’s community hospital isn’t going anywhere.
Nurse Lobby Day
Dozens of PEF nurses from across the state converged on Albany April 15 and 16, meeting with members of the state Assembly and Senate to share stories and urge support for Tier 6 reform, bullying legislation, a health care preceptor tax credit program, expanding the nurse staffing committee law to other agencies, and making the Nurse Practitioner Modernization Act permanent.
PEF represents approximately 10,000 nurses in state employment, with SUNY, the Office of Mental Health (OMH), Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS), and the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) the largest employers.
Click here for a full story on PEF’s Nurse Lobby Day.
Abusive Conduct and “Bullying” Prevention Law
Through the union’s Toxic Tales campaign, PEF members have been sharing stories of bullying and toxic workplaces and as part of the campaign PEF is asking the Legislature to support a bill that would add a new section to the Labor Law to define “bullying,” “cyberbullying,” and “abusive conduct.” The definitions would then enable the creation of a uniform standard of appropriate conduct in the workplace and lead to development and implementation of training for employees and employers to ensure that everyone understands those standards.
Assemblyman Harry Bronson, Chairperson of the Assembly Labor Committee, who also sponsored the bill, voiced his full support to PEF nurses on Lobby Day.
“This is on my priority list,” he told the nurses who visited his office. “I have heard horror stories from your members. You should be able to go to work and not be in danger. We will see what we can do. You guys do great work.”
Click here to read about how PEF members at Kingsboro Psychiatric Center are calling out bullying managers.
Nurse Compact rejected
PEF successfully prevented a budget proposal from passing that would have authorized New York to enter into the Interstate Nurse Licensure Compact.
“New York maintains higher licensure standards than most of the states in the compact and, as a union representing more than 10,000 nurses, PEF opposed watering down standards for New York’s health care professionals,” President Spence said.