NYSARA Actions

September 07, 2015

Letter to CEO Milton on behalf of the New York State Nurses Association vs. Ellis Hospital and threatened lockout

Dear Mr. Milton,

I just learned of Ellis Medicine’s plan to lockout NYSNA RNs following their recently announced one day strike on behalf of safe-staffing and quality patient care. This is a shameful response to the selfless advocacy of NYSNA nurses on behalf of their community and their patients. I will think twice before seeking care at a facility that ignores the serious concerns being raised by their professional staff. This is of particular concern to the 440,000 seniors that are represented by the New York State Alliance for Retired Americans. The issues of chronic under-staffing and low nurse-to-patient ratios are alarming and real. I urge you to rethink your planned lockout of these nurses, and instead meet them in good-faith bargaining to solve these very real and serious problems. I respect the nurses’ right to strike, especially when current practices might endanger the health of patients, and applaud the courage of NYSNA nurses in raising those very real concerns. I believe that Hospital policies work best when on-the-ground professional staff has a mechanism for raising and addressing concerns,especially those that impact patient safety and patient care, like those over current staffing policies. These nurses have my full support. I believe that ignoring the nurses concerns for their patients is both egregious and ill advised. Choosing corporate profits over frontline professional’s concerns is at best misguided and at worst dangerous.

Sincerely,

Barry A. Kaufmann
President
NYS Alliance for Retired American’s