Public Employee Press

Nurses rally for a new contract

In a demonstration of union solidarity, Judith Arroyo, president of DC 37's United Federation of Nurses and Epidemiologists Local 436, joined her colleagues from the New York State Nurses Association Nov. 9 in a rally at City Hall where they demanded a new contract.

NYSNA's 7,000 registered nurses, who work at the Health and Hospitals Corp. and other city agencies, have been attempting to negotiate with the city since September 2009. Their contract expired in January.

"The nurses at the public hospitals are deeply committed to their patients and their facilities," said Arroyo, whose local represents Public Health Nurses, mainly in the city's public schools.

NYSNA is also protesting the city's denial of "physically taxing" status to the nurses, which would give them certain pension improvements.

In July, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled that the city's refusal to designate the jobs of nurses and midwives as "physically taxing" constitutes illegal gender discrimination.

Joining Arroyo at the rally were DC 37 Field Services Director Barbara Edmonds, City Council members James Sanders and Julissa Ferreras, Municipal Labor Committee Chair Harry Nespoli and other labor leaders.