MASSENA — NYSNA nurses from St. Lawrence Health’s Massena, Canton-Potsdam, and Gouverneur Hospitals voted overwhelmingly to ratify their new contracts with Massena and Gouverneur Hospital nurses ratifying their contracts by a unanimous vote.

Nurses reached tentative agreements at their last bargaining session on Wednesday, May 10, according to a press release from the union. The ratification vote started Monday, May 15 at Gouverneur Hospital and ended Wednesday, May 17 at Canton-Potsdam and Massena Hospitals.

This is the first time that nurses from all three hospitals worked together by bargaining at a common table since the hospitals became part of St. Lawrence Health Systems, now part of Rochester Regional Health.

“Nurses in the North Country came together for our patients and our profession.” said Sue Quinell, RN at Canton-Potsdam Hospital. “Bargaining with nurses from Massena and Gouverneur hospitals empowered us to learn from each other and support each other in our shared fight for fair contracts. With wage increases finally catching up to a higher cost of living and quality health benefits, nurses will want to stay in our community and have a career rooted in providing excellent care for our North Country patients.”

NYSNA nurses won wage increases of at least 6% in the first year and are now part of a consistent wage scale across hospitals, the union said. The contracts also include improved and lower cost health benefits through joining the NYSNA Benefits Fund, an important sticking point for nurses during negotiations. Nurses will also have a voice in staffing standards for the first time through the creation of a safe staffing committee.

“Massena is my home. I was born at Massena Hospital, I grew up in this community, and now I work at Massena Hospital,” said Casey Paquin, RN at Massena Hospital. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of nurses and the support of our community, we have ratified a strong contract with the wages and healthcare benefits that will allow my family and I to stay here so I can keep my community healthy while being able provide for my own family.”

“We fought for and won affordable health insurance to care for our families, a voice in improving patient safety with our new staffing committee, and respectful wages to incentivize new nurses to join our team,” said Christina Smith, RN at Gouverneur Hospital. “I’m extremely proud of the nurses from all three facilities for our dedication to fight for our members and for the care our patients so desperately deserve.”

St. Lawrence Health President Donna McGregor applauded the conttract ratification.

“I am very pleased to share that after months of collective bargaining, our 276 NYSNA-represented nurses and St. Lawrence Health have come to a contract agreement,” stated SLH President Donna McGregor.

The ratified agreement includes the implementation of a common wage scale for nurses across all SLH hospitals, consisting of an annual wage increases for NYSNA-represented nurses over the life of the contract, enabling NYSNA-represented nurses to participate in the NYSNA Benefit Fund, and increasing nurse pay for both evening and weekend shift differentials, as well as on-call shifts.

“Reaching the agreement was accomplished in large part because of the long hours and hard work put in by our SLH bargaining team, especially towards the end of the negotiation process,” Ms. McGregor said. “Agreeing upon a five-year contact is an unprecedented accomplishment on its own, and we are proud to have been able to solidify this longevity of terms.

“Our goal from the start of the negotiations was to reach a collective bargaining agreement that ensures all patients receive the best possible care, and nurses are treated fairly and can do their best work. In coming to a formal agreement, it is evident all parties involved believe this contract accomplishes those goals,” she added.

“St. Lawrence Health will continue to deliver outstanding care to the community and, importantly, to remain a great place to work for all our hardworking and talented nurses. I appreciate all they do each and every day and recognize the vital role they play in making our hospitals leaders in the North Country and in the State of New York,” noted SLH Chief Nursing Officer Lisa Lougheed.