Nurses at Nathan Littauer Hospital in Gloversville, Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown and St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica voted to authorize a strike Sept. 1, according to the New York State Nurses Association.
The union, which represents the workers, said a 10-day notice has been officially delivered to management at all three hospitals calling for a one-day walkout at St. Elizabeth Medical Center and SMC as well as a two-day walkout at NLH.
The nurses have been working without contracts. Nurses have raised concerns about inadequate staffing of RNs in numerous departments.
SMC expressed disappointment in the planned strike.
"While it appears the strike notice issued to Samaritan may be part of a larger statewide NYSNA agenda, it's unfortunate that these negotiations have come to this point after many months of bargaining," Krista A. Kittle, SMC spokeswoman, said in a statement. However, "since our registered nurses have decided to exercise their right to strike, it is Samaritan's obligation to ensure that members of our community have uninterrupted access to quality medical care by healthcare professionals. We will keep our doors open and will be properly and safely staffed with temporary replacement workers."
SMC and NYSNA have held 22 negotiating sessions during the current negotiations, with a federal mediator in attendance at the last three sessions.
"Samaritan will continue negotiating in good faith in hopes of reaching an agreement as quickly as possible," Ms. Kittle said.
Mohawk Valley Health System, which includes St. Elizabeth, also responded to the strike news. Scott H. Perra, president and CEO of MVHS, said in a statement that the system is disappointed in the news and believes representatives from NYSNA "are not working for the benefit of our nurses, but using them as part of a statewide strategy to effect the changes they want."
He said five additional meetings are scheduled with the NYSNA negotiation team between now and Aug. 29. In the meantime, he said, the system is using resources to prepare for the strike and will have to temporarily reduce services provided at St. Elizabeth.
He also addressed staffing at St. Elizabeth, noting that the hospital has added 85 new staff RNs over the past 12 months.
NLH called the statements made by NYSNA about staffing "misleading."
In fact, the hospital said in a statement that NLH is particularly proud of its nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. During the first six months of this year, the average patient-to-RN ratio in the medical-surgical unit at NLH was four patients for every RN, according to the hospital.
"We are proud of the safe environment we have created for our patients and for those who care for them. This core standard will not change at any time. Not ever. Patients and staff in the hospital, nursing home and at all of our primary care centers can expect exceptional care at any time and in any situation," the hospital said in a statement.
"When the nurses choose to walk off the job and abandon our patients during their upcoming strike we assure our patients that the hospital, nursing home and all of our outpatient centers will be open and appropriately staffed. We have contracted with a nationally recognized staffing agency to ensure a full complement of registered nurses."
The planned Sept. 1 strike at NLH follows a one-day strike by nurses on Jan. 6. After the strike, hospital management locked the nurses out of the facility for an additional four days, and hired replacement nurses to work during the lockout period.
Following the strike and lockout, NYSNA filed several unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board. NLH has since agreed to pay unionized nurses back wages owed to them.
More articles on human capital and risk:
Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital nurses to strike
Queen of the Valley nurses win first union contract
In California, nursing graduates remain in licensing limbo