Demand disaffiliation from the National Federation of Nurses

To the NYSNA Board of Directors, CEO, E&GW Program Director, Delegate Assembly Members and Officers of the Congress of LBU Leaders,

We understand that the leadership of our professional association and union has created and affiliated with a new national union called the National Federation of Nurses (NFN). We also understand that the creators of the NFN have appointed themselves to be the executive officers of this union for up to three years. We further understand that our members dues money is being used to finance this new national union.

Such top-down actions are unacceptable to us. As dues paying members of NYSNA, we had no knowledge of, or voice in, the decision to create and affiliate with the NFN. We had no input into its constitution or the selection of its officers. Yet, it is our money that is being used to finance its creation and promotion.

Additionally, in joining with the other founding unions of the NFN, NYSNA has aligned itself with organizations that are against the creation of nurse staffing ratios which is of great concern to us.

We demand that the NYSNA Board of Directors immediately take whatever action necessary to disaffiliate or remove NYSNA from membership in the National Federation of Nurses. We also demand that our leaders either resign from the governing and advisory bodies of the NFN or resign from their leadership positions in NYSNA.

NYSNA should be concerning itself with fixing its own problems first. We face many challenges to our pensions, our contracts, our employment, and our practice. Our dues go up every year. The Board of Directors should ensure that our dues money is used right here in New York, to represent and service the members- not on creating and joining a national union without the knowledge or consent of the membership.

Our own members should always be the top priority of the Board of Directors. The Board must get direction from the members, not the other way around. We expect and demand that NYSNA be a member- driven organization.

If NYSNA does not listen to or seek guidance from its own members, NYSNA will no longer be the voice of Registered Nurses in New York State.