[1] In June 2021, the government of New York passed a law requiring hospitals to consult nurses and other workers when creating staffing plans.
CWA Area Director Debora Hayes stated in a speech that "our equipment is broken and we'll have speakers coming up and talking about it.
The hospital president, Eddie Bratko, released a statement arguing that it would be "inconceivable that the union would lead essential health care workers on strike in the midst of an ongoing pandemic.
"[7] That evening, the hospital proposed a new agreement that would include an average raise of 4.4 percent for nurses in the first year of the contract and an average raise of 2 percent for the following two years as well as leaving health insurance premiums and pension unchanged and creating an additional 230 positions in service areas.
We have bargained for months to achieve a contract agreement that will allow us to do our jobs properly, but Catholic Health stubbornly refuses to agree to iron-clad safe staffing levels.