Registered nurses at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, N.Y., have voted to unionize. The hospital is part of Centralus Health.
Here are four things to know:
1. The 350 registered nurses are part of Cayuga United-CWA, represented by the Communications Workers of America, according to a Jan. 15 union news release.
2. Eligible nurses participated in a secret ballot election held Jan. 14-15 by the National Labor Relations Board, with a majority voting in favor of CWA union representation, Centralus Health CEO Rob Lawlis said in a Jan. 15 statement shared with Becker’s.
3. The union said nurses will now be able to begin bargaining with management on their first contract, aiming to improve working conditions. Concerns over staffing levels and a desire for a stronger voice with administration prompted the nurses to start organizing.
“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,” Shane Snyder, RN, said in the release.
4. Mr. Lawlis said in the statement that the system respects the decision of its nursing staff.
“This outcome reflects the perspectives and concerns many of our nurses have shared. Cayuga Medical Center is committed to working professionally and in good faith as we move forward, including our negotiations with the CWA,” he said. “Our commitment remains unchanged: supporting our nurses and care teams while ensuring patients continue to receive safe, high-quality, compassionate care.”
The unionization comes one year after Cayuga Health System merged with Elmira, N.Y.-based Arnot Health to form the five-hospital Centralus Health.
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