RNs Across the Country Say 1199SEIU is the Right Choice
To Advance Our Profession and Protect Our Patients
1199SEIU RNs: Strength in Numbers
Over 450,000 healthcare workers have come together in 1199SEIU to build power and a strong voice in our jobs, including 10,000 RNs across New York and Long Island. The collective strength and expertise of our union allows 1199SEIU nurses to negotiate strong contracts that advance the needs of our profession and improve patient care.
Anne Moss, RN, BSN, Phelps Hospital, Sleepy Hollow, NY
“As part of 1199, we can finally realize principles like nurse self-governance in action. Anyone who genuinely values patient outcomes agrees that a united and stronger bedside nurse voice will improve patient safety, safe staffing ratios, fairness, and other goals we all share.”
1199SEIU RNs Have Won the Highest Job Standards:
Competitive wages with regular raises historically.
1199 League nurses secured a raise of 7% in July 2023 and upcoming 6% and 5% raises in October 2024 and 2025.
A union pension with yearly payouts upon retirement AND retiree healthcare with the 1199 National Pension Fund
Healthcare without a co-premium with the 1199 National Benefit Fund
No-cost education opportunities:
Up to $8,320 for undergraduate and $12,304 for graduate health or work-related degree programs annually, paid for up front at over 50 local colleges, plus no-cost seminars and conferences. Up to $17,340 per year for RN to BSN and Nurse Practitioner Programs.
Holiday pay differential, including Juneteenth
Discounts on childcare, including daycare, after-school, and summer camp reimbursements.
A strong voice in staffing
Jennifer Ortiz-Patron, RN, Orange Regional Medical Center, Middletown, NY
“Working as a professional nurse for many years, I know how important it is to advocate for patients to ensure quality care. As 1199 members, we know that we can negotiate fair guidelines that take into account the patient’s level of acuity when they are considering staffing levels and floating nurses to different departments.”
1199SEIU RNs have won a unique voice
1199SEIU nurses have the best of all worlds. We have our own professional organization in the 1199SEIU Nurse Alliance and are part of the national SEIU Nurse Alliance. And we are part of the larger body of 1199SEIU healthcare professionals who can unite together to win fair contracts and historic political victories.
1199SEIU RNs participate in Labor Management committees that give nurses a real voice in policy and planning decisions at our facilities. These committees have led to innovative initiatives that directly impact the quality of patient care.
Linda O’Connor, RN, Bon Secours Community Hospital, NY
“Union membership with 1199SEIU gives you a seat at the table with management to ensure a safe work environment, fair wages and affordable healthcare.”
1199SEIU RNs have won fair pay and the highest job standards
In today’s healthcare system – with its vast challenges – nurses must be able to stand up for our profession and our patients and make a real difference. 1199SEIU RNs are some of the highest paid nurses in the country and have guaranteed yearly cost of living raises and appropriate differentials. 1199SEIU RNs believe that part of dignity and respect for caregivers is having affordable healthcare and retirement security.
Swipe to hear our voices!
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“With our union contract, we finally feel recognized and valued for what we have done for patients during Covid. We RNs need a solid foundation at our hospital to do our jobs, including fair compensation, supportive benefits and most of all respect. With 1199 we both build and safeguard this foundation so we can continue to put our patients first regardless of the circumstances.”
— Mike Glicos, ED RN (Guthrie-Corning Hospital, Corning, NY)
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"Being part of 1199 offers me job security, regular pay raises, awesome health benefits and after working 36 years at another hospital, FINALLY a pension! As a union delegate, I have had the privilege of helping to negotiate our last contract and wording with other dedicated coworkers. "
— Angela Dowd, RN (Guthrie-Corning Hospital, Corning, NY)
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“In our union, we make sure that issues like safety, staffing, and nurse-patient ratios are addressed. We negotiated the use of unsafe assignment forms as part of our legal contract. In Labor Practice Committees, we have a voice in nurse-patient ratios, winning adequate time to care for our patients to ensure patient safety. Being part of 1199SEIU, we have the strength to keep each other safe and provide excellent care for our patients.”
— Elizabeth Mauvais-Jazon, RN (UHealth Tower, Miami, FL)
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“We come together, support each other, and improve our care through our union. We fought hard to negotiate access to 1199SEIU’s educational and training opportunities in our contract. Now, we have access to expensive certifications that promote our professional development, best practices, and patient satisfaction and safety. Through our union, we also won pay differentials for specialty certifications, degrees, and longevity—and a 9.5% raise over the next three years. These guarantees encourage nurses to build careers at our hospital .”
— Beth Fischer, RN Team Lead, Labor and Delivery (Guthrie-Corning Hospital, Corning, NY)
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“Joining the 1199SEIU family means our jobs and our futures are secure. Having job security makes such a difference. It allows us to focus all our attention on making sure our patients receive the best possible care.”
— Lorraine Mercado, RN (South Oaks Hospital, Amityville, NY)
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“There’s nothing more basic to protecting my patients and protecting my family than making sure I have a safe place to work. With the union, we work together with management to correct problems before any of us gets sick or injured.”
— Barbara Matthews-Moody, RN (LIJ Forrest Hills Hospital, NY)
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“As a Registered Nurse for nearly 40 years, I know the importance of having great healthcare benefits for my family and myself. Our employer funded healthcare benefits amount to additional overall compensation above and beyond our annual wage increases.”
Jane Gerenscer, RN (Good Samaritan Hospital, Suffern, NY)
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“I have been an 1199SEIU RN for 33 years now. My colleagues and I have supported each other and kept our employer fair through our union. We meet with management to address issues like staffing and safety directly. Our union is always there when something happens on the job, like discipline or our contract not being followed. There is strength in our union beyond our workplace, too. 1199SEIU RNs across New York got together and helped pass legislation mandating safe staffing ratios, so we have adequate time to care for our patients.”
— Johnie Gunsalus, RN (Oishei Children's Hospital, Buffalo, NY)
PROTECTING PATIENTS AND NURSES
By joining 1199SEIU, RNs have been able to win important safeguards that improve the quality and delivery of care and nurse and patient safety. Swipe to learn more!
The Power to Retain Talent
Due to the nursing shortage, a major focus within the healthcare industry has been on the retention of newly graduated nurses. 1199SEIU has helped develop a “New RN Retention Program” to enhance new nurses’ knowledge in clinical areas and create a smoother transition to their professional role. 1199SEIU members have established a wide range of no-cost training opportunities to advance in nurse careers and to keep up with license requirements.
Delyse Chapman-Williams, RN, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, NY