The New York State Nurses Association and Albany Medical Center called back-to-back press conferences Thursday as their bitter battle over staffing continues to stall a new contract agreement.
The union and the hospital have been at odds for months over staffing and compensation concerns, which play a major role in contract negotiations. Bargaining sessions began in April. The nurses have been working without a contract since July 31st.
Led by negotiating committee member Mike Fitzsimmons, NYSNA continued the union's allegations at a rally outside the hospital. Speakers claimed there is lack of transparency, severe staffing issues, and say Albany Medical Center President and CEO Dr. Dennis McKenna has failed to address them.
"Dennis McKenna talks about nurses having choices, the choices nurses make, unfortunately, many times, is not working here," said Fitzsimmons. "They go someplace else to work. So under Dennis McKenna's watch, when he talks about nurses having a choice, that's the predominant choice that nurses make."
Labor and delivery nurse Jennifer Kiehle accuses the hospital of putting profits before people.
"We want safe staffing ratios, wages and benefits that keep talented nurses at the bedside," Kiehle said. "And we want a voice in patient care while Albany Med tries to silence our union voice. Nurses will continue fighting and standing up for what's best for this community. It's time for Albany Med to get serious about fixing the staffing crisis and delivering a fair contract. Dr. McKenna must do right by his employees and patients. The community can't keep waiting."
Kiehle and company claim hospital administrators are hiding a report issued by the Department of Health stemming from nurses' complaints about unsafe staffing at Albany Med, refusing to share the findings with nurses or the public.
“Our staffing committee should have already seen the Department of Health deficiency report. It was issued after nurses like me documented the unsustainable and illegal staffing conditions in our hospital. But before turning to the state, we repeatedly begged hospital administration for help. After our pleas fell on deaf ears. Deaf ears, we had no choice but to start submitting complaints to the Department of Health,” said Kiehle.
The nurses say they took legal action to obtain the report in early September, but accuse the hospital of “keeping it secret.” Not true, says McKenna. "At this moment, our clinical staffing committee is meeting to discuss the contents of a report from the Department of Health. Despite what you have heard, this meeting was not canceled, it was simply moved one day. And let me say with absolute conviction, Albany Med is not hiding anything. We never have. As we have stated, we have a set period of time to review the report, as we always do. We want to do it thoughtfully and with full preparation to have a meaningful discussion."
McKenna says DOH visits and inspections are routine and Albany Med addresses emerging issues immediately. Insisting NYSNA's claims are unsubstantiated, he admits DOH found the hospital fell short of its staffing plan 480 times over 20,640 shifts during a six-month period, representing 2.2% of all shifts in that timeframe. Referring to the report as "a snapshot in time," McKenna says it does not account for dynamic staffing adjustments.
Report aside, McKenna says a new contract could be in place this week. "The first contract signed with NYSNA in 2021 established Albany Med as an open shop. That means the nurse has choice as to whether or not they pay dues to NYSNA. This is entirely lawful and permitted by the National Labor Relations Board. This was our firm position then, and it is the position that NYSNA agreed to in the first contract. But NYSNA is changing its position now for the next contract, NYSNA is holding up any agreement by insisting that Albany Med nurses must pay a required due to NYSNA, as a condition to work at Albany Med. I will not accept that," McKenna said.
Responding to a request for comment on that point, Kiehle provided a short statement that says in part “Nurses maintain that AMC management has not put forth a contract that will substantively address the understaffing issue.”
McKenna also refuted the union's claim that there are 600 open positions for nurses at the hospital. He says once the new contract is signed, the noise from NYSNA and the rallying calls will die down.
"We have always listened to our nurses, and we will continue to do that. It's time for NYSNA to listen to our nurses too," said McKenna.
