Speaker 3 (00:00):
Yeah, that's right. Lot of people, right?
Crowd (00:00):
Let's go, nurses!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
Let's go, nurses!
Crowd (00:00):
Let's go, nurses!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
We are nurses!
Crowd (00:00):
We are nurses!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
Ho ho, nurses!
Crowd (00:00):
Ho ho, nurses!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
[inaudible 00:00:18] nurses!
Crowd (00:00):
[inaudible 00:00:18] nurses!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
[inaudible 00:00:18]!
Crowd (00:00):
[inaudible 00:00:18]!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
[inaudible 00:00:18]!
Crowd (00:00):
[inaudible 00:00:18]!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
People want to know!
Crowd (00:00):
People want to know!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
Who we are!
Crowd (00:00):
Who we are!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
[inaudible 00:00:18]!
Crowd (00:00):
[inaudible 00:00:18]!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
We are the nurses!
Crowd (00:00):
We are the nurses!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Crowd (00:00):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
Everywhere we go!
Crowd (00:00):
Everywhere we go!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
People want to know!
Crowd (00:00):
People want to know!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
Who we are!
Crowd (00:00):
Who we are!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
[inaudible 00:00:18]!
Crowd (00:00):
[inaudible 00:00:18]!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
We are the nurses!
Crowd (00:00):
We are the nurses!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Crowd (00:00):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
Everywhere we go!
Crowd (00:00):
Everywhere we go!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
People want to know!
Crowd (00:00):
People want to know!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
Who we are!
Crowd (00:00):
Who we are!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
[inaudible 00:01:22]!
Crowd (00:00):
[inaudible 00:01:23]!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
We are the nurses!
Crowd (00:00):
We are the nurses!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Crowd (00:00):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Speaker 4 (00:00):
Here.
Speaker 3 (00:00):
How you doing?
Speaker 8 (00:00):
Hi.
Speaker 5 (00:00):
What do we want?
Crowd (00:00):
Fair contract!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
When do we want it?
Crowd (00:00):
Now!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
What do we want?
Crowd (00:00):
Fair contract!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
When do we want it?
Crowd (00:00):
Now!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
What do we want?
Crowd (00:00):
Fair contract!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
When do we want it?
Crowd (00:00):
Now!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
What do we want?
Crowd (00:00):
Fair contract!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
When do we want it?
Crowd (00:00):
Now!
Speaker 5 (00:00):
What do we want?
Crowd (00:00):
Fair contract!
Speaker 6 (00:00):
Please be walking towards the rear of the cameras. Please be walking towards the rear of the cameras. [inaudible 00:02:22].
Speaker 5 (00:18):
Everyone needs to stay [inaudible 00:02:28]. Okay?
Speaker 6 (00:18):
[inaudible 00:02:33] we are right here. We need you to go behind the camera so that our guests can see your [inaudible 00:02:40]. All right? Okay, [inaudible 00:02:46].
Speaker 5 (00:36):
[inaudible 00:02:46]. Let's do this!
Speaker 6 (00:36):
[inaudible 00:02:54]. Thank you.
Speaker 5 (00:36):
All right, [inaudible 00:03:12].
Speaker 7 (00:36):
The camera [inaudible 00:03:19] is a little too high.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Sorry?
Speaker 7 (00:36):
Can you lower it a little bit?
Speaker 4 (00:54):
One second. This is [inaudible 00:03:30] a little bit more. Is that better? Okay.
Crowd (00:54):
[inaudible 00:03:34].
Speaker 4 (00:54):
Good? Good? Okay. Yep.
Crowd (01:12):
[inaudible 00:04:04].
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Let's give it up [inaudible 00:04:31]. Give it up for [inaudible 00:04:34]. Everywhere we go!
Crowd (01:12):
Everywhere we go!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
People want to know!
Crowd (01:12):
People want to know!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Who we are!
Crowd (01:12):
Who we are!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
[inaudible 00:04:56]!
Crowd (01:12):
[inaudible 00:04:57]!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
We are the nurses!
Crowd (01:12):
We are the nurses!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Crowd (01:12):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
We are the nurses!
Crowd (01:12):
We are the nurses!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Crowd (01:12):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Everywhere we go!
Crowd (01:12):
Everywhere we go!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
People want to know!
Crowd (01:12):
People want to know!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
People want to know!
Crowd (01:12):
[inaudible 00:05:21]!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Who we are!
Crowd (01:12):
Who we are!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
[inaudible 00:05:26]!
Crowd (01:12):
[inaudible 00:05:28]!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
We are the nurses!
Crowd (01:12):
We are the nurses!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Crowd (01:12):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
We are the nurses!
Crowd (01:12):
We are the nurses!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Crowd (01:12):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
We are the nurses!
Crowd (01:12):
We are the nurses!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Crowd (01:12):
The mighty, mighty nurses!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Everywhere we go!
Crowd (01:12):
Everywhere we go!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
People want to know!
Crowd (01:12):
People want to know!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Who we are!
Crowd (01:12):
Who we are!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
[inaudible 00:06:01]!
Crowd (01:12):
[inaudible 00:06:03]!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
[inaudible 00:06:04].
Speaker 7 (01:12):
This is the microphone.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
It's insane, right?
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Fired up, can't take no more. Fired up.
Crowd (01:12):
Can't take no more.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
We fired up.
Crowd (01:12):
Can't take no more.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
We fired up.
Crowd (01:12):
Can't take no more.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
We fired up.
Crowd (01:12):
Can't take no more.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
We fired up.
Crowd (01:12):
Can't take no more.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
We fired up.
Crowd (01:12):
Can't take no more.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
We fired up.
Crowd (01:12):
Can't take no more.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
All right. What do we want?
Crowd (01:12):
Fair contract!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
When do we want it?
Crowd (01:12):
Now!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
What do we want?
Crowd (01:12):
Fair contract!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
When do we want it?
Crowd (01:12):
Now!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
What do we want?
Crowd (01:12):
Fair contract!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
When do we want it?
Crowd (01:12):
Now!
Speaker 2 (01:12):
All right.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
What do we want?
Crowd (01:12):
Fair contract!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
When do we want it?
Crowd (01:12):
Now!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
What do we want?
Crowd (01:12):
Fair contract!
Speaker 5 (01:12):
[inaudible 00:08:07].
Speaker 2 (08:18):
We are here today fighting for safe staffing. Fighting to improve workplace violence. Fighting to let those rich hospitals know that nurses deserve good medical coverage. If we don't have coverage, we can't take care of our patients. They call them self amazing. If you are so amazing, why are you spending million on replacing workers? You need to spend a million on our communities. The millions is to go to other nurses. Shame on Presby. Shame on Sinai. Shame on Montefiore. Shame. Shame. And I'm here to introduce our mayor, someone who stood with the working people. Someone who believe in our cause, safe patient care. Workplace violence needs to be gone. Nurses need to have proper medical coverage in order to care for our patients. Nurses are here fighting for our patient, fighting for our communities. I am proud to introduce New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Zohran Mamdani (09:47):
How are we doing, everyone?
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Yeah. Fired up.
Zohran Mamdani (09:51):
At every one of our city's darkest periods, nurses showed up to work. Their value is not negotiable and their worth is not up for debate. We know that during 9/11, it was nurses that tended to the wounded. We know that during the global pandemic, it was nurses that came into work even at the expense of their own health.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
That's right.
Zohran Mamdani (10:18):
They showed up even when we didn't have protective equipment for them. They showed up even as others were staying home. Bottom line, they showed up. They are here for us when our parents or our grandparents fall sick or are in need. They are here for us when our children go through an emergency. They are here for us when we face a medical issue that we do not even know the name of. These nurses are here for New Yorkers. They show up and all they are asking for in return is dignity, respect, and the fair pay and treatment that they deserve.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Yeah.
Zohran Mamdani (11:04):
They should settle for nothing less. We are here today where we do not want to be, but where we must be, on the picket line, marching for justice and fairness, standing in solidarity alongside those who have done so much for the people of this city. This strike is not just a question of how much nurses earn per hour or what health benefits they receive. Although both of those issues matter deeply. It is also a question of who deserves to benefit from this system. There is no shortage of wealth in the healthcare industry, especially so at the three privately-operated hospital groups at which nurses are striking, the wealthiest in the entire city.
(11:56)
The hospital executives who run these hospitals, the ones where these hardworking nurses are asking for what they deserve, these executives are not having difficulty making ends meet. The CEO and president of Montefiore made more than $16 million last year. The CEO of New York Presby, where we are today, made $26 million last year. But for too many of the 15,000 NYSNA nurses who are on strike, they are not able to make their ends meet. They are not asking for a multimillion dollar salary. What they are asking for is for their pensions to be safeguarded, to be protected in their own workplace, to receive the pay and the health benefits that they deserve.
(12:49)
New Yorkers have a right to quality healthcare, as do the nurses who provide that care. My job as mayor is to protect both of those rights, to stand alongside the working people who stand with us every day, and to build a city where everyone can live a life of dignity, not just those with the most means. So know this, New York City will do everything in our power to ensure the sick and injured can continue to receive high quality care, and we will do so while refusing to abandon those who have time and again, refused to abandon us.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
That's right.
Zohran Mamdani (13:30):
We will not choose one or the other.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
That's right.
Zohran Mamdani (13:33):
This city can and must ensure the continuity of care. FDNY, emergency management, the public health system, and all of my senior leadership are working tirelessly to ensure nurses' demands for dignity can be heard and care is still received. All parties must return immediately to the negotiating table and not leave. They must bargain in good faith.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
That's right.
Zohran Mamdani (14:00):
And they must arrive at a deal that is satisfactory to all that allows the nurses who work in this city to live in this city. I want to say thank you to every other elected official that is here to stand alongside these nurses. And I want to say to every nurse that is here, that it is time for us to recognize the work that you put in on a day-to-day basis.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
That's right.
Zohran Mamdani (14:28):
And we want you to know that we see the work that you do. We believe that work should be recognized and we stand here alongside you in the fight for that. Thank you all so much for having me here. It is a pleasure and an honor always to be your mayor and to have this chance to stand alongside so many others who believe just as strongly in the importance of the work that you do. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Fired up.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Ms. James, can you say something to the Filipino-
Letitia James (15:25):
We're here, [inaudible 00:15:26].
Speaker 2 (15:32):
And I want everyone to know those greedy CEOs, those greedy CEOs today put out that nurses want 40%. What nurses want is safe quality care. What nurses want is decrease in workplace violence. What nurses want is good medical coverage where New York Presbyterian want to take away your coverage. Like you heard earlier, the CEO made $26 million last year. His two-day salary is more than what all of us make. As New Yorkers, we need to save. Patient before profits. Our patients are not for sale. Now, I would like to introduce a trailblazer for [inaudible 00:16:30], our Attorney General, Letitia James.
Letitia James (16:36):
All right. Thank you so much. What do we want?
Crowd (16:40):
Fair contract!
Letitia James (16:42):
What do we want?
Crowd (16:42):
Fair contract!
Letitia James (16:44):
What do we want?
Crowd (16:45):
Fair contract!
Letitia James (16:46):
I was here three years ago during a strike when we negotiated safe staffing. Management has reneged on that deal. Let me say that again. Three years ago, there was a strike and the union negotiated with management a deal on safe staffing. They have reneged on that deal. It's also important to know that this union negotiated in Albany a bill to address safe staffing.
Speaker 9 (17:22):
That's right.
Letitia James (17:23):
Safe staffing standards are the law in the state of New York. But management unfortunately has reneged on a deal with the union and has reneged on safe staffing standards in the state of New York. And it's important that individuals understand that because I don't, because management cannot say that they are negotiating in good faith when you renege on a deal with a union.
Crowd (17:49):
That's right.
Letitia James (17:51):
It's important also to understand that safe staffing is critically critical now. As New Yorkers wake up each and every day, because after January 1st, a significant number of New Yorkers did not have health insurance because their premiums increased. And so they now will have to rely upon on emergency room for healthcare. And safe staffing is critical to that. It's critical to ensuring that we've got quality healthcare here in the state of New York. It's also important to understand that safe staffing is important, particularly now, that we are seeing New Yorkers suffer from the flu. We are in the midst of the flu season and we are seeing more and more New Yorkers in our hospitals and particularly in these hospitals. And so it's important that we have safe staffing.
(18:47)
Healthcare workers are being stretched to their limits. And as workplace violence in hospitals is on the rise, nurses are asking simply for the basics. One, to be respected. Two, that management not cut their benefits. Three, that they recognize the importance of safe staffing, that they also recognize that they need real protections on the job, and the fair benefits allow nurses to continue serving all of our communities.
(19:18)
If these have money to hire scabs, then they've got money and resources… [inaudible 00:19:25] nurses, to see these nurses, and to understand that these nurses are responsible… To see these nurses, and to understand that these nurses are responsible for quality healthcare here in the state and in the city of New York. They need a contract. They deserve a contract. I will stand with them. I stood with them then, I stood with them in the past, and will continue to stand with them because I recognize the right to organize and the rights of these workers, obviously, to provide care for New Yorkers. This is a difficult decision for nurses. This is more than a profession. This is a passion.
Tish (20:00):
… and this is a commitment, obviously, not only to their patients, but also they make great sacrifice to their families. And so I respect nurses and I urge, again, a fair contract, get back to the table management, respect them. I see them and they deserve a fair contract. Thank you so much.
Nancy Hagans (20:21):
Thank you. Thank you, Tish. And again, we want to send the message. Nurses are not out on strike. The greedy CEOs put nurses on strike. We are not putting our patient's life in jeopardy. The greedy CEOs decided to replace us with millions that they could invest in our patient. During the height of the pandemic, those greedy CEOs with all the OOs after their names making millions were in the second homes playing golf while we were here taking care of the patient. We saved this city. We saved New York. We were called heroes. And today, NYP called us zeros. And we are telling you it's time to come to the table and negotiate a fair contract. And I am going to introduce our union leader. She's a registered nurse here at NYP.
(21:27)
She's a mother. She's working. She's been here fearlessly. She has a newborn at home where she's fighting management to provide her a lactation place so her child could be fed. And what did they do? They gave her a hard time. Okay? I have two daughters. In the past, you could not find a place. It was a very difficult time to be us. Parents working full time and have a brand new baby at home and need to take care of your baby and feed your baby. This amazing place called themselves so amazing. Could not be able to find her a place, another to care and feed her child. A lactation place that should be all over. This is not a ask. This is regular daily living. I'm going to introduce Beth Laden.
Mark Levine (22:24):
All right.
Beth Laden (22:24):
Good morning, everyone.
Mark Levine (22:32):
Good morning.
Beth Laden (22:33):
Thank you all so much for bringing the cameras here. The microphones here. We need to be heard. I apologize. I don't have a polished speech. Like we've said, we need to be at the table. We've been at the table for the past seven days straight, and we've been at the table for the past six months straight. Why are we here? The nurses have been trying to get a deal. A deal that respects us and provides the safety for us and our patients. That's what it's about. Management knows what the demands are and knows what needs to be done. And they have failed time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time again to show up. It was clear even from last week that they had finished bargaining with us. That's why we are on an unfair labor practice strike. They have broken standards of bargaining this whole period of time. But today we made history. 16,000 NYSNA nurses said enough is enough. We don't have a deal. We gave them a deadline. We agreed to the deadline.
(23:52)
We gave them 10 more days. And so we're here. We respect to be on time. We have a lot of expectations on ourselves as workers, and so we expect the same of our CEOs and our HR VPs and everybody who's across the table with all their shiny things. New York Presbyterian nurses have not been out here on the streets in 30 years. That's incredible. 30 years, nurses have been able to figure out a deal. Our voices have been heard. We have negotiated in good faith. This year we negotiated in good faith, but our voice went unheard. We're here, especially with all of you, because our hospital is behind decimation to our healthcare. 44,000 nurses across New York State depend on the NYSNA benefits fund. And it's this hospital that is deciding for 44,000 nurses that we don't deserve care? Make it make sense. Make it make sense. It's a very clear demand and it has real consequences. Like Nancy said, I had a baby 11 months ago. I was able to have a baby for very good price. If you could put a price on childbirth.
(25:21)
At a NYSNA represented facility, and it was amazing, God willing, God blessed experience at Mount Sinai West. Mount Sinai West is also on the streets today. My husband also is an immigrant. He did not have healthcare until we got married and he was able to come under the NYSNA benefits fund. This coverage has allowed him to treat all his chronic conditions and have follow-ups regularly throughout the city in a really, really amazing way. Healthcare has real consequences. We all know that. And this organization needs to hear that. 44,000 nurses deserve healthcare. We deserve to care for our community in a safe way with safe ratios and enforceable safe staffing. We deserve not to get hurt on the job. We need to have no workplace violence here, and we deserve to have healthcare. Thank you all. Thank you for coming. Thanks to all the unions who are supporting us, our electeds, our community groups. We so appreciate you. But to the 4,000 New York Presbyterian nurses, let's go.
Nancy Hagans (26:43):
Thank you, Beth. And I've been a nurse for close to 40 years. I work in a safety-net hospitals. A safety-net hospital. Forest Hospital in New York City were able to say we are going to put patient before profits. They were able to come to an agreement to provide medical coverage to our nurses, to provide pension, to address the workplace violence, to also provide us with everything that's needed. And to turn around, yes, to see the richest hospital in New York City could not come to the same agreement of poorest hospital. It's shame on them. It's shame on them.
(27:36)
We are here today because New York Presbyterian, CEO who's made $26 million last year, decided that he himself will get rid of all our medicals for 44,000 members. And we are here to send you a message. It's not going to happen. Your 26 million, why don't you take five million out of your 26 million, invest it to our members, invest it to our communities. Show me what you got because we are here, not because we want to be here, because if everybody's on the outside, there's something wrong on the inside. I am here to introduce our colleagues, our ally, our trooper, Mario Cilento, the AFL-CIO President.
Mario Cilento (28:33):
All right. Thank you, Nancy. I have one very simple message today. It really is very simple. To all of my knives and the family here today, you are not alone in this fight. Your two and a half million brothers and sisters and family members of the state AFL-CIO of the entire labor movement in this state are here with you. Your brothers and your sisters and your family from public sector unions, private sector unions, building trades unions, upstate, mid-state, downstate, Buffalo to Brooklyn to Long Island, and everywhere in between, your fight now is our fight. Your fight for dignity is our fight. Your fight for respect is the AFL-CIO's fight. Your fight for justice is the labor movement's fight and your fight for a fair contract with fair wages and benefits and conditions of employment. Fighting not only for yourselves, but for your patients is now everybody's fight two and a half million strong because this is a fight for what is right and just and true.
(29:38)
And what is right and just and true that these hospitals only exist because of each and every one of you. It's your dedication and your commitment, your professionalism, your skill, your talent, literally your blood, sweat, and tears that brings these patients times through the times of their most vulnerable. Literally nurse them back to health. That's what is right and just and true. And what is also right and just and true and what has been said here several times is that you were forced to go on strike. No one goes on strike and looks forward to it. You do it as a last resort. Now we have proof. We have evidence that the nurses are being reasonable. Why? Because they've come to more than a dozen agreements already in the last week. So they have shown if you sit down with us, we will come to an agreement that is fair and equitable for both sides.
(30:35)
There is no dispute. And we talk about CEOs making what they make. All right. It's more than that. It's the fact that they have been entrusted to lead these hospitals, to lead these organizations. And they somehow think it's a good idea to spend, I don't know, tens of millions of dollars to cause a strike that they didn't have to cause if they would just come to the table. What kind of sense does that make financially? What kind of faith can you have in leadership like that if this is the choice they made? It's insane. It's ridiculous. So what this means is this. When I say we're all together, it's not just words. It's not just rhetoric. Anything that your president Nancy Hagans says that NYSNA needs, they will have all of the resources of the entire labor movement in the state at their disposal at a moment's notice, because that's what we do for each other.
(31:25)
And I've said it before and I've said it again. The labor movement is a family. And you don't have to be blood related to be a family. And we don't have to look alike or talk alike or sound alike to be a family. A family's a group of people who care about each other, who help one another, who support one another, and who pick each other up when one of us falls down. But most importantly, it means if you pick on one of us, you have to deal with all of us now. All right. And I know that these CEOs have not taken that into consideration, that we will be here with our brothers and sisters and family of NYSNA for as long as it takes to get a fair and equitable contract. We're all in this fight together and together we will win this fight. Thank you.
Mark Levine (32:08):
All right. Woo.
Nancy Hagans (32:11):
When we fight.
Audience (32:13):
We win.
Nancy Hagans (32:13):
When we fight.
Audience (32:15):
We win.
Nancy Hagans (32:15):
And I'm going to send the same message again. I got up this morning. I saw the greatest CEOs put out. Nurses are asking for 40%. How much did you make last year? $26 million. We told you over and over. Staffing. We're not going to cut corners. Workplace violence. We are not going to put ourselves in jeopardy. A pension, a medical. We are not going to cut corners. We are willing to negotiate a wage. So stop hiding behind your gritty face. Come to the table and negotiate a fair contract. If the other hospitals could do it, if the safety-net hospitals could do it? What is your excuse? What is your excuse, NYP? What is your excuse, Mount Sinai? What is your excuse, Montefiore? Now, we are here to introduce another fearless fighter that's always been with us and always standing with us. And I don't want to embarrass you, but he was about to say, "Nancy, by the way, my son is going to nursing school." And I said, way to go. Our controller, Mark Levine.
Mark Levine (33:37):
All right. Nurses make some noise. Give it up for my friend, Nurse Nancy Hagans. A wonderful nurse, a great labor leader, and I don't know how she's awake after the last seven days. And let me tell you, Nurse Hagans, I'm not embarrassed that my son's in nursing school. I'm very proud of it. And in another year, he's going to be out here with the Red Hat too if we're lucky.
Speaker 10 (34:03):
All right. There you go.
Mark Levine (34:05):
The nurses of this city have been to hell and back over the last six years. You got us through COVID. You sacrificed often at enormous personal cost. And over the years, you have cared for us, confronting burnout in the most difficult conditions. The least you deserve now is a fair contract. I am standing with you today to fight for just that. You deserve salaries that reflect the talent and training and passion that you pour into this career. If anybody deserves great healthcare, it's the professionals who are providing healthcare to the rest of us. You should not face cuts in your health insurance plan. You deserve to be safe in your workplace, and we have seen horrific acts of violence in hospitals in New York just in the last few weeks. That is unacceptable. And most of all, you deserve safe staffing ratios. I say this because I care about nurses and unsafe staffing ratios are causing burnout in this profession. We are losing great nurses because of the pressure of unsafe staffing ratios.
(35:33)
But even more importantly, I want safe staffing ratios for patients. Because research shows when you have safe staffing ratios, you get better outcome for patients. That's why we're out here today. And this problem is not a hypothetical. Even in the face of agreements that you have fought for, we have seen violations, and it's not just niceness saying that. We have seen independent arbitrators declare that these hospitals are violating safe staffing ratios, in NIC units, in ICUs, in cardio units. This is happening now in hospitals in New York. So I know you didn't want to strike. I know this was a last resort. You are here because there is no other option, because we must fight for a fair contract with decent pay and good healthcare and safety in the workplace and safe staffing ratios. I don't know how long this strike will take, but I will be with you as long as it lasts. We'll be out here again and again and again until you get a fair contract. Thank you, nurses. Let's win this.
Nancy Hagans (36:59):
When you have a greedy employer who would brag how they would spend over $200 million to bring replacement workers, but they will not spend money in the communities. They will not spend money to keep a medical coverage. As nurses, if we're not healthy, we cannot take care of our patients. And I am going to introduce you another member of the Presby Executive Committee, Jennifer Lynch. She's been working and being intimidated by management, but she stood her ground, and I am very proud to be the president of 42 plus thousand members. I am so proud of her members standing up today to say enough is enough. Patients before profit, patients are not herself. Our next speaker, Jennifer Lynch, Presbyterian member.
Speaker 10 (38:01):
All right.
Jennifer Lynch (38:04):
Thank you so much, Nancy. Hi, my name is Jen Lynch, and I am so proud to be the advanced practice delegate of this amazing bargaining unit. What I am not proud of is that this institution, where I have worked for 18 years, decided to lay off 2% of its work staff this year, 2%. This included 15 of my nurse practitioner colleagues at the Children's Hospital. Their positions were eliminated. This is a continued pattern of union busting and undervaluing the care that is provided by advanced practice nurses. It is absolutely unacceptable that New York Presbyterian would choose to compromise patient care so that they can save money. Nurses advocate for access to quality care for the communities that we serve, and it is absolutely vital that we push back on these cuts for our patients. I am honored to stand here today with all of my nursing colleagues while we continue this fight for a fair contract that protects patient safety. Thank you.
Nancy Hagans (39:25):
Our amazing nurses. We're going to stay amazing, and we need to tell them that sign that says up the amazing. NYP, if you're so amazing, why did you put your nurses out here? Okay? Why? Okay. The next speaker, we all know him. I don't call him the public advocate, I call him the people's advocate. Jumaane Williams.
Audience (39:57):
Jumaane.
Speaker 10 (39:58):
All right.
Nancy Hagans (40:00):
… Williams.
Jumaane Williams (40:04):
Peace and blessings, love and light to everybody. Thank you nurses for being out here. Thank you Nigel for being out here. Thank you to our president for your leadership and being out here. I seem to remember just a few years ago at seven o'clock everybody was banging pots and pans and thanking our nurses for the courage to make sure that we were safe. I remember how much we made painstaking efforts to say thank you to our nurses.
(40:32)
Well, what happened in just a few years? They're the same folks who saved us, the same folks who put their bodies on the line literally when we had no idea what was going on. And what we're doing now is abusing their love for patients, is abusing their love for the people that take care of it. And that's just not right.
(40:53)
All they are saying is not only do we deserve a decent pay for the work that we're doing, but we deserve to be safe while we're doing it. And those things are what people should be demanding. So I have to be out here. One, because 10 years ago nurses saved my life and two, we have to make sure nurses feel safe and get the pay they deserve to make sure the whole city can be healed when it's a time for them to be in the hospital. And three, because in a few hours I have to join my sister, Jeanine Williams, a nurse practitioner at Morningside and a member of NYSNA who will be at the picket line. And I put this hat on for her and for all the other nurses on the city. When we fight, we win and I'll be back for the victory party. Please and blessings, love and light to you all.
Nancy Hagans (41:51):
And this is just not a Manhattan fight. This is not just the three hospitals in New York City. This is a fight for all patients. This is a fight. We're saying patient comes first. Every patient is a VIP. Every patient is a VIP. Every patient deserves high quality care regardless of your zip code, regardless of your immigration status, regardless, regardless, period. So with that being said, I am going to bring two borough presidents, our Manhattan Borough President, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and a Brooklyn Borough President, Antonio Reynoso.
Antonio Reynoso (42:45):
We're so sad to be here today having to make this happen, having to do this. Nurses shouldn't be fighting outside of hospitals. They should be helping a fight to save lives inside of the hospitals. But what's happening here in this corporatized healthcare system is a reflection of what's happening in society today, is that we see the rich executives continue to make more and more and more money while the rest of us that are doing the work on the ground are starting to fight, are having to fight for crumbs, for crumbs, for $26 million. That you negotiate so poorly that you have the nurses go on strike should be a reflection of how bad they're doing in their job, for they get their money while these nurses are out here having to fight.
(43:39)
And very quickly, Brad, in Spanish. [Spanish 00:43:45]. Thank you. And your Manhattan Borough President, Brad Hoylman-Sigal.
Brad Hoylman-Sigal (44:15):
Thank you, sir. Thank you. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Manhattan Borough President. Thank you.
Antonio Reynoso (44:17):
Thank you, sir.
Brad Hoylman-Sigal (44:17):
Thank you, Borough President Reynoso. Let's just be clear. If a hospital executive was making a million bucks, that would be a lot of money. $5 million would be suspect. $10 million is outrageous. $26 million, that is unconscionable. That is unconscionable, and that is a reflection of the upside down system here at Columbia Presbyterian and elsewhere. We need to make clear that the people who are doing the work on the ground, the nurses who are saving the lives every day of the week, the nurses who are the glue of our healthcare system, they need to be paid fairly. Am I right about that?
(45:10)
So I stand with NYSNA. I stand with the nurses here at Columbia Press and across the five boroughs to say, come back to the table. Nurses deserve fair pay. Nurses deserve, of all people, adequate healthcare. Every nurse should have the gold standard of healthcare because that's what they're providing their patients. So let's get back to the table. Let's make sure that nurses get the support they deserve. Let's win this fight. Thank you very much.
Nancy Hagans (45:50):
When we fight …
Crowd (45:51):
We win.
Nancy Hagans (45:52):
When we fight …
Crowd (45:53):
We win.
Nancy Hagans (45:57):
Our next speaker is one of our Presby executive committee member, Tanya Fisher Morales. Come on, Tanya. Let's give it up for Tanya.
Tanya Fisher Morales (46:08):
I'm nervous. Good morning. My name is Tanya Fisher Morales, and I'm an emergency department holding nurse here at New York Presbyterian Hospital. We are on strike today because our employer won't negotiate a fair contract to keep patients and nurses safe.
Crowd (46:25):
We love you, Tanya.
Nancy Hagans (46:25):
We love you, Tanya. You got this.
Tanya Fisher Morales (46:30):
A lot of nurses at my hospital have experienced workplace violence, including me. I've been grabbed and scratched by patients. Just last week, one of my coworkers was punched in the … Sorry, punched in the chest by a patient and is now all on medical leave. The week before that, a nurse was punched in the eye. Every week, nurses are injured in incidences of workplace violence at our hospital, especially in our emergency room. When we have patients on top of each other in stretchers and chairs for days and not enough nurses to take care of them. We need protections from workplace violence now. This isn't up for debate anymore.
Nancy Hagans (47:16):
Yes.
Tanya Fisher Morales (47:18):
We're asking for common sense solutions, like weapon detectors to help keep weapons out of our hospital and have security making rounds in the emergency department to keep us and the patients safe. Our brothers and sisters at New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist experienced a horrific incident last week, and we are afraid that something might happen here, especially in our emergency room where weapons are always getting through.
(47:47)
It makes me sad because these tragedies could be avoided if management would just listen to the frontline nurses. And if management took our proposals for protection from workplace violence seriously. But management doesn't seem interested in settling for a fair contract.
(48:05)
Yesterday, nurses were ready to bargain around the clock to avert us being in the street today. And do you know how much time they spent in a room with us yesterday? 19 minutes. That's all they gave us yesterday.
(48:22)
We'd rather be inside the hospital taking care of our patients, but management forced us on this strike today. We are not at fault for being outside today. It is their fault.
Nancy Hagans (48:34):
That's right.
Tanya Fisher Morales (48:35):
We were at the table every single day. And we have 19 minutes. Another day they were there for one hour. Another day they were there for two hours and we're there for 10 to 12 hours waiting to negotiate with them and they were not showing up. It's not right. We shouldn't be here. We should be inside.
(48:55)
We won't back down on our demands for patient and nurse safety. It's time for management to stop dragging their feet in bargaining. It's time for managers to work with frontline nurses instead of fighting against us. It's time for a fair contract now. Thank you.
Nancy Hagans (49:15):
Thank you, Tanya. This is what we're talking about. You have a nurse coming up here so emotional because every time she goes to work, she's afraid of workplace violence and you have a greedy CEO of NYP making $26 million and refuse to address workplace violence. This is what our members are facing every day. And right now, we are saying enough is enough. Come to the table. Negotiate a fair contract. Come to a settlement like the safety nets have done because if the poorest hospital in New York City could come to the table and decide to put patient before profit, the greedy CEOs need to do the same thing.
(50:13)
Right now, I would like to introduce another fierce leader, another ally that has been there for all workers, for nurses, for NYSNA, my friend, New York City Central Labor Council, President AFL CIO, Brendan Griffith.
Brendan Griffith (50:42):
Thank you very much. As President Hagans said, my name is Brendan Griffith and I'm the president of the New York City Central Labor Council AFL CIO. And we represent over 300 unions that represent workers in every corner of the economy in New York City. And I just have a few simple messages today.
(50:57)
The first I want to say to President Hagans. Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for all that you do for nurses, for the healthcare system, for the patients of New York City. Second, to the nurses, thank you for standing up, thank you for standing strong, and thank you for standing together. You are carrying the labor movement on your shoulders and you are inspiring all of us to know that we can fight for what we deserve and we will get it.
(51:25)
Lastly, to the CEOs, to the bosses that forced these nurses onto strike, I want to say, are you kidding me? This is ridiculous. Ridiculous. Nurses' work is essential. Nurses' work saves lives. Nurses are important. I do not want to have to remind you that a New Yorker, when they're having a bad day and they go to a hospital, it is a nurse that gives them comfort. A New Yorker, when they're having a bad day and they're having a terrible day and they go to a hospital, is a nurse that gives them care. And on the worst days of our lives, when we go to hospitals, it is nurses that give us hope.
(52:03)
So I say to the people who are making decisions, going down the wrong path, let's get back to the table, negotiate a contract. Let's give these nurses, these heroes, what they deserve.
(52:15)
Sisters and brothers, when workers' rights are under attack, what do we do?
Crowd (52:22):
Stand up and fight.
Brendan Griffith (52:23):
When patients rights are under attack, what do we do?
Crowd (52:27):
Stand up and fight.
Brendan Griffith (52:27):
When nurses' rights are under attack, what do we do?
Crowd (52:29):
Stand up and fight.
Brendan Griffith (52:31):
Brothers and sisters, the one million members of the New York City Labor Movement stand with you today, tomorrow, and as long as it takes for you to get the contract that you deserve. Thank you.
Nancy Hagans (52:39):
Thank you, Brandon. Thank you, Brandon. One more thing.
Brendan Griffith (52:49):
And my apologies, in my enthusiasm, I forgot to thank all of the other unions that are here. So I would like to shout out SCIU 32BJ, we have Secretary Treasurer John Santos who's with us. RWDSU 338, we have the Communication Workers of America, District One. We have SCIU 1199. Teamsters, Local 707. [inaudible 00:53:15] 14. 804 of the Teamsters. We have PSC CUNY. The HTC Hoteling and Trades Council. And RWDSU 338. Is that it? There we go. Thank you all. And the steel workers.
Nancy Hagans (53:39):
Everybody else, all our union siblings, if Brendan forgot to call your name, thank you for being here because our fight is your fight. Okay? When you take on one of us, all of us. Okay. It is my pleasure to introduce New York Council Member, Carmen De La Rosa.
Carmen De La Rosa (54:00):
All right. Good afternoon, everyone. In addition to being the labor chair in the city council, at least for the next few days, it has been an honor and a pleasure to represent this district in the New York City Council. We're standing on Fort Washington Avenue in the middle of Washington Heights, which is a working class community. And so for many people who visit us from out of town, this is a premier hospital where they come to get their needs met.
(54:35)
If you cross Broadway, you will find a community that is a working class community for whom this hospital is a local hospital. It is our frontline of defense. Just two weeks ago, I was at the children's hospital with my own daughter. And so my message to management here is that when you turn your backs on the nurses, who are keeping this hospital running every single day and every single day are helping our communities, you are turning your back on the broader community, which you purport to serve as an institution.
(55:18)
We are calling out Presby for their lack of willingness to come to the table and negotiate a contract that delivers dignity to our nurses. We've all heard the stories of how we banged our pots for the nurses during the pandemic, but even before the pandemic, if you were unfortunate enough to find yourself on the other side of a hospital bed, it was the nurses who were uplifting us in every moment. I remember childbirth, it was the nurses who did the work.
(55:54)
And so when we talk about solutions for our community, when we talk about the social determinants of health, the struggle for working class is not separate from the struggle of the nurses here today. So I'm proud to stand in solidarity and always, always present when NYSNA calls and we will continue to stand with you until Presby delivers the contract that you all deserve. Thank you so much. Oh, in Spanish. Okay. [Spanish 00:57:22]
Nancy Hagans (57:21):
I'd like to take a moment to thank New York City Assembly member, Manny De La Santos, whose district we are in. New York City Assembly member Al Taylor, whose district we are also in. Also, acknowledge [inaudible 00:57:37] support to New York State Senator Robert Jackson. We are in his district. We would like to thank New York City Council member Mercedes Narcisse, Chair of the Council of Hospital Committee. We would like to acknowledge and say thank you to New York City Council Member Lynn Schulman, Chair of the Council of Health, and Chief of Staff [inaudible 00:58:04] in attendance. We would like to say thank you to our Reverend Kirsten John Foy. Thank you for being here and always have our back. President and CEO of the Art of Justice, thank you.
(58:21)
Now I would like to bring you another fearless Presbyterian nurse who works in the ED, who's been here day and night, trying to tackle management where she would sit in a room for 12 hours and management would only show up for 10 minutes. Aretha Morgan, Presbyterian nurse and board of director of New York State Nurses Association.
Aretha Morgan (58:55):
Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Aretha Morgan. As Nancy just said, I'm a nurse here at Presbyterian. I've been a nurse for 34 years. We are out here today and not inside because there's a problem in the hospitals. There's a problem of safety. We nurses don't feel safe to be inside there. Not only are there not enough nurses to care for our patients in a timely manner, they have laid off nurses and nurse practitioners spreading us even more thin.
(59:36)
This could not have come at a worse time due to the fact that we are facing a flu outbreak, the worst that the city has seen in a reported history. Infants, children, and adults are coming into this hospital critically ill with the flu and have less nurses and
Aretha Morgan (01:00:00):
And nurse practitioners to take care of them. We are also facing extreme workplace violence. Countless weapons are entering these hospitals and many of us have been beaten, hit, slapped, punched, stopped, you name it. And we have asked these hospitals to put in place workplace prevention, workplace violence prevention, over and over and over again. But they refused. How can we care for others when we are not safe? And to add insult to injury. My hospital, New York Presbyterian Hospital, would not even give us a fair contract. Their executives have told us that they're going to cut our health benefits and pension. They told us that if we gave them a 10-day strike notice, that they will fight us back powerfully. We know that CEO Steve Corwin got 58% pay hike in '23 and '24. He went from ranking $14.6 million to $23 million.
Speaker 12 (01:01:24):
26.
Aretha Morgan (01:01:29):
26. And now he wants to cut our health benefits and pension?
Speaker 11 (01:01:33):
I don't think so.
Aretha Morgan (01:01:34):
I don't think so. We will fight back just as much. Why? Because we are the nurses. We are the mighty, mighty nurses.
Crowd (01:01:44):
We are the nurses.
Aretha Morgan (01:01:48):
We are the heroes. They are the zeros. We are here because we deserve more and our communities, our patients deserve more. So what do we want?
Crowd (01:02:05):
Fair contract.
Aretha Morgan (01:02:05):
Fair contract. Simple. Thank you.
Nancy Hagans (01:02:09):
Thank you. Thank you, Aretha. More acknowledgement. Thank you for support from Manhattan Community Board 12 and Environmental Committee. Also, I would like to thank the Democratic Socialists of America, DSA, for being here. United here, a hundred. Thank you. Now I'd like to introduce one of our nurses from New York Presbyterian Methodist in Brooklyn, where last week they were faced with the worst time of their life crisis, where there was an active shooter in that hospital. And that's one of the reason we here asking the greedy, greedy bosses to make workplace violence a priority, to support us, to protect us. I would like to introduce Sharonda Green from New York Methodist Executive Committee.
Sharonda Green (01:03:14):
There you guys. Good morning all. My name is Sharonda Green, and I happen to be a registered professional nurse from New York Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn. I also happen to be on the executive committee. I'm here today to highlight the issues that are happening with workplace violence. We just come to work to provide safe quality care. The one thing you can count on about NYSNA nurses is that we're what? Union strong. Say it again.
Crowd (01:03:40):
Union strong.
Sharonda Green (01:03:42):
Union strong. Super union strong. NYP management, be clear, our strength should never be tested. I'm 100% sure that you saw almost one million nurses put pen to paper and sign that petition when the US Department of Education reclassified our degrees as non-professionals. NYP management, hear us all. We do not feel safe at work. Say it again.
Crowd (01:04:03):
We do not feel safe at work.
Sharonda Green (01:04:05):
We do not feel safe at work. Do the Columbia nurses feel safe at work?
Crowd (01:04:07):
No.
Sharonda Green (01:04:07):
No. We do not feel safe at work. I don't know how many times I can say it. I need management to hear us. I need the people to hear this as far away as Canada if they can help us. The other issue is the increasing amount … Is that close enough? … The increasing amount of safety issues that are happening in the hospital, you would think that they would come to the table in good faith and negotiate, but they're doing the exact opposite in a time when we need more help with safety. To the nursing staff, I just want to say you guys did a remarkable job on Thursday. Thursday, we had an issue that Nancy spoke about involving a security issue at the hospital where a patient actually died.
(01:04:51)
And I just want to say thank you to the staff. I want to say thank you to the nurses. The nurses united together in solidarity for safety of their patients and their staff. We're keeping them in our thoughts. We like to say thank you to all the people who have expressed support and concern. In closing, as sure as the sky is blue, the NYSNA nurses are always union strong. Yes. And this is a call to action, NYP management. Give these nurses a fair contract, including the issues that involve workplace safety. Thank you guys. [inaudible 01:05:24].
Nancy Hagans (01:05:24):
Thank you. Thank you. We would like to acknowledge we ask for environmental justice. Thank you for your support and also thank you to our [inaudible 01:05:42]. Now I would like to introduce our next speaker. She's not only a New York City Council speaker. She's also a NYSNA nurse. The Chair of the Council Hospital Committee, Mercedes Narcisse.
Mercedes Narcisse (01:06:03):
Good morning. Morning. Before I start, I said thank you to Nancy. The president that has been pushing it, could not sleep, have to push forward for the nurses and what she believe in. As a nurse, I want to say from the bottom of my heart, from a nurse to a nurse, I want to say thank you to you. Your leadership means so much. To all the leadership of NYSNA, thank you. To all the nurses that's out here. This is not about us. As a registered nurse, I'm going to tell you, when we talk about safety, it's not about our safety. It's a patient safety.
(01:06:40)
I'm here as a council member, but more importantly, I am here as a nurse listening to my colleagues. Nurses belong at the bedside, not on the picket line.
Crowd (01:06:53):
That's right.
Mercedes Narcisse (01:06:53):
But when you are ignored long enough, when patient safety is treated like a line of [inaudible 01:07:05], when respect keeps getting postponed, this is what happens. This strike did not start today. Let me be clear. It started when hospital choose profits over patients.
Crowd (01:07:20):
That's right.
Mercedes Narcisse (01:07:21):
You cannot choose profit over patients. Your administrators are getting million and millions while the nurses is asking for safety first. This is not about [inaudible 01:07:36] for money. It is about the patient's safety. It started when nurses said we are short of staff. We don't feel safe and management looked other way. We remember during the pandemic, when everyone come applause for us, we remember being called heroes, heroes, but heroes don't need applause. They need safe staffing. Fair pay and security on the job.
(01:08:11)
You got to feel safe. No nurses should come to work worrying about being assaulted at the job. No nurse should have to choose between protecting themselves and protecting a patient. Feeling safe at work is not a perk. For those that's working, we're not looking for a perk. It is a basic right for them. When nurses are stressed in, care suffers, the patient suffers. When nurses don't feel safe, everyone is at risk. Patients, families, staff, everyone around us. I know what it means to work on a unit and not have enough staff. I have done it. I have seen it. If you worked back in the '90s, you know how difficult it was. It was hard work. We keep on pushing and representing people, which is a patient.
(01:09:13)
And I know this fight is about more than contract. It is about dignity and safety and respect for our patients. To hospital leadership, my message is simple. Come back to the table and negotiate with Nancy and the team. That's all we ask about. Let's negotiate. We don't want to be out here. You see so many of us, we don't want to be here. We want to serve the patient. We want to be in there. So therefore, administrators are saying that, "Oh, we're not making deal. We're not being fair." We being fair because we want to protect the patient. We want to be inside, not outside. So for all of you, all of you that out here to bring the cause to the forefront, we want to say thank you to you because when the patient's safe, we feel safe. That's all we want. So thank you, Nancy. And when we fight, when we fight…
Crowd (01:10:21):
We win.
Mercedes Narcisse (01:10:21):
When we fight…
Crowd (01:10:21):
We win.
Mercedes Narcisse (01:10:21):
When we fight…
Crowd (01:10:21):
We win.
Mercedes Narcisse (01:10:21):
So let the administrators know we're going to fight until we win for the patient.
Nancy Hagans (01:10:26):
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Working Families Party. And now I would like to bring a trailblazer. The brain behind everything that's happening today. My Staten Island sister. My sister from another mother. Executive Director Patricia Kane.
Patricia Kane (01:10:53):
Thank you everyone. Thank you everyone for being out here today. For those of you that are still here, thank you for staying. I heard a couple of people mention history. This is not the history that this union wants to be known for. The largest strike in New York City is not … We don't want that to be our history, but it's really, really important, especially in this moment that all you, that all our reporters that are now really more important than ever, write the history correctly. We've all seen attempts to have this country's history rewritten and denied. Please, let's get this right, folks. We have been at the table willing to bargain 24/7, and that's why this is an unfair labor practice strike. We have had workers intimidated, disciplined. Management has not been bargaining in good faith. Why? Why on earth did they want this strike to happen?
(01:12:09)
And make no mistake. They pushed these nurses out on the street because months ago, they decided they wanted to decimate their healthcare benefits. The nurses aren't looking for improvements to their healthcare benefits. They're not looking for improvements to their pension. They're looking to maintain the benefits that they have. But months ago, management decided they were going to cut their benefits. And they know, believe me, they know, the first thing, the number one thing on our bargaining surveys, when we go into bargaining and we survey our members as to the most important issues, what do you think number one is?
Crowd (01:13:00):
Healthcare.
Patricia Kane (01:13:01):
Their healthcare benefits. And number two is safe staffing, every single year, every single time. I'm a registered nurse. I've been a member of this union since 1986. I know I don't look that old. One guy laughed. Let me lay something else out for you. We've been up here saying how there's safety nets, we're able to do it, right? All our nurses that are out on strike today are out on strike for the healthcare of all the other members in those hospitals who aren't out on strike because they're all in the same benefit plan. Right? Over 40,000 people, not just our member, not just our nurses, but their spouses, their children. That's a lot of belly buttons covered by this plan. We have hospitals upstate who aren't even in bargaining. That would be affected. Their families would be affected by this absolute ripping apart of our healthcare benefits. So these nurses who are always standing up for their patients and their community, they're out here today also making a sacrifice and sacrificing for their siblings whose healthcare is at stake as well.
(01:14:29)
And you want to know something really ironic that we're out here in front of Presby, right? Everyone I think has read and a lot of people reported on the prices at this place. Their prices are out of control. So they're complaining to us about the cost of this healthcare plan when a lot of that money that they pay for the plan goes right back in their coffers. These hospitals set the prices, its conditions. Address their working conditions. I was a nurse for 32 years in the operating room. That's part of the reason I'm walking around with this thing. Okay? They don't address physical safety. And when we're talking, let's not forget, we've heard a lot of nurses talking about how they don't feel safe. Imagine being a patient laying in the bed who can't even run away, who can't duck and cover. Our patients are sitting ducks. They need to address workplace violence in our hospitals.
(01:15:48)
We are going to be out here doing whatever it takes for as long as it takes, but I can't stress enough, management made this decision. They avoided us at bargaining. They wanted cuts to healthcare. They know the nurses aren't going to accept cuts to their healthcare. They knew that. That's why we're out here today, folks. And folks are talking about, don't the nurses care about safety? They're fighting for safety every day.
Crowd (01:16:15):
Yes.
Patricia Kane (01:16:16):
They file hundreds of what we call a protest of assignment to inform management of a safety issue. They are not responded to. We have filed hundreds of complaints from the Department of Health about staffing violations and safety violations. They have not responded to. They have not been responded to. So please don't tell my nurses that they're not worried about safety. It's these people who've been ignoring their pleas and their cries to make this a safer environment for their patients, for themselves, and for their communities.
(01:16:52)
So thank you to everybody out here today. Anyone who wants to talk to a nurse, get more info, we have nurses here willing to talk to the press. Thank you very much. When we fight…
Crowd (01:17:04):
We win.
Patricia Kane (01:17:06):
When we fight…
Crowd (01:17:07):
We win.
Patricia Kane (01:17:08):
When we fight…
Crowd (01:17:08):
We win.
Patricia Kane (01:17:10):
All right, everybody.
Nancy Hagans (01:17:15):
Thank you. Thank you, my sister Pat. I'd like to acknowledge our board of director, Ari Moma; Peter, our treasurer, Peter; and thank you all for being here, for coming. We are going to be here. We are going to be here every day until my management decide to come to the table and settle a fair contract. We will not cut corners for our patient. Our patients are not for sale. Profits should not be before a patient. Every patient is a VIP.
Crowd (01:17:54):
Every patient is a VIP.
Nancy Hagans (01:17:57):
Every patient is a VIP.
Crowd (01:17:59):
Every patient is a VIP.
Nancy Hagans (01:18:03):
Every patient is a VIP. Thank you. Thank you. When we fight…
Crowd (01:18:12):
We win.
Nancy Hagans (01:18:15):
When we fight…
Crowd (01:18:18):
We win.
Nancy Hagans (01:18:20):
When we fight…
Crowd (01:18:20):
We win.
Nancy Hagans (01:18:20):
When we fight…
Crowd (01:18:20):
We win.
Nancy Hagans (01:18:20):
When we fight, [inaudible 01:18:20].