Kingston, N.Y. — Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) and the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) announced a new ratified three-year collective bargaining agreement that will benefit more than 200 nurses at HealthAlliance Hospital. The agreement, which is the result of a strong working relationship and commitment to bargaining in good faith, significantly increases nurse wages, establishes and enforces concrete staffing ratios, preserves excellent existing healthcare and pension benefits, and more. The agreement comes just a few months after a contract settlement between NYSNA nurses and WMCHealth's Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, NY.
"This agreement reflects the crucial role that our dedicated nursing team plays in delivering the highest quality care at HealthAlliance Hospital for patients in Kingston and across the region," said Phyllis Yezzo, Executive Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive for WMCHealth. "This demonstrates the appreciation we have for our dedicated nurses, who worked tirelessly on the frontlines during the pandemic, and importantly, will also enable us to continue to attract and retain talented healthcare professionals in our community."
The ratified agreement, which is retroactive to January 1, 2023, delivers substantial annual wage increases for all nurses, and expands the increases for longer-tenured nurses. In the first year of the deal nurses will receive an approximately eight percent increase to base salary, followed by a six percent increase in year two, and a five percent increase in the third year. The contract also expands salary increases for additional years of service. Combined, this results in an average first-year salary increase to 24 percent and a total average wage increase up to 40 percent over the life of the contract, depending on a nurse's years of experience.
"Our new contract will help us recruit and retain nurses for quality care. The wage increases, including experience differentials, recognize our hard work throughout the pandemic and will help us retain experienced nurses — and that's a win-win for nurses, our patients, and the community we serve," said NYSNA Executive Committee President Hannah Kondrat, RN.
"Congratulations to the nurses and management at HealthAlliance Hospital for negotiating a fair new contract that raises the bar for nurses in the Hudson Valley," said NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN." WMCHealth is showing its commitment to its workers and building a sustainable workforce with this latest contract."
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About Westchester Medical Center Health Network
The Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) is a 1,700-bed healthcare system headquartered in Valhalla, New York, with nine hospitals on seven campuses spanning 6,200 square miles of the Hudson Valley. WMCHealth employs more than 13,000 people and has nearly 3,000 attending physicians. The Network has Level I (adult and pediatric), Level II and Level III trauma centers, the region's only acute care children's hospital, an academic medical center, several community hospitals, dozens of specialized institutes and centers, Comprehensive and Primary Stroke Centers, skilled nursing, assisted living facilities, home-care services and one of the largest mental health systems in New York State. Today, WMCHealth is the pre-eminent provider of integrated health care in the Hudson Valley. For more information about WMCHealth, visit WMCHealth.org or follow WMCHealth on Facebook.com/WMCHealth or Instagram.com/WMCHealth.
About NYSNA
The New York State Nurses Association represents more than 42,000 members in New York State. We are New York's largest union and professional association for registered nurses. 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.
For more information, visit nysna.org.