In an overwhelming 82% vote, registered nurses at Cayuga Medical Center won union representation on Thursday afternoon, according to a Communications Workers of American Union press release.
The victory comes amid a surge in labor organizations surrounding healthcare workers safety and patient concerns. In New York City, nearly 15,000 nurses participated in a strike, demanding adequate staffing and increased pay. The strike impacted some of New York City’s leading medical institutions including Mount Sinai Hospital.
“We've been delivering quality patient care for years while feeling unsupported and burnt out, and I'm excited to see what we can do with our union behind us,” said Shane Snyder, an in-patient wound registered nurse in the CWA press release. “We are tenacious, we are strong, and we are ready to start bargaining our contract.”
CWA is a U.S. labor union representing over 700,000 workers in public and private sectors and has approximately 1,200 local unions. Cayuga United-CWA is one of those local unions and is composed of 350 registered nurses at Cayuga Medical Center.
Cayuga United-CWA is fighting for safe staffing levels to support lower patient to nurse ratios and bargaining for a union contract. With union representation secured, the union plans to begin negotiations regarding their concerns.
“We are laying the groundwork for the generations of nurses to come after us, and we’re already hearing from other medical professionals inspired to join us,” said Morgan Downing, a cardiac catheterization RN in the press release. “I am so excited to have my seat at the table alongside my fellow nurses to start bargaining for our first contract.”
The nurses have spent the last ten years attempting to unionize and represent five weeks of organization since the union went public on Dec. 3.
CWA District 1 Vice President Dennis Trainor, who represents 145,000 workers in New York, New Jersey, New England and eastern Canada, reflected on the outcome of the “overwhelming victory” of the Thursday election in the press release, which he said stands as a “shining example” of the collective efforts of healthcare professionals working together.
“CMC nurses have overwhelmingly and repeatedly voiced their urgent desire for a union contract and it is time for management to join us at the bargaining table and get to work improving conditions for nurses and their patients,” Trainor said.
Zeinab Faraj is a member of the class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is the features editor on the 143rd Editorial Board and was the assistant sports editor of the 143rd Editorial Board. You can reach her at zfaraj@cornellsun.com.
