Albany Med CEO: ‘Last, best and final’ contract offer extended to nurses

Albany Med Health System’s CEO and president urged nurses to accept the company’s last, best, and final offer of a new contract.

I have no doubt that our proposal for a contract is outstanding. According to Dr. Dennis McKenna, it honors our nurses’ knowledge, empathy, and—above all—their insignificant rights.

For the past six months or so, the nurses have been without a contract.

McKenna described the proposal’s specifics, such as higher hourly pay and greater training reimbursement.

For instance, a freshly licensed nurse’s starting pay would rise from $33 per hour to $37.50 and then to $39.50 over the following two years. In the first year, the average base pay for an RN would rise by 13%, and over the next three years, it would climb by 25% to 34%.

Additional information includes higher compensation for charge nurses, nurses who train other nurses, and nurses who work shifts that are challenging to fill. Tuition and continuing education reimbursement will also be enhanced.

The contract would also include retroactive compensation to August 1 if it were approved.

However, McKenna stated that if the agreement is not approved by Monday at 5 p.m., that clause will be removed.

McKenna stated that it is time to proceed, but he issued a warning that the hospital will have to deal with financial difficulties, such as negotiating contracts with insurance companies. The hospital owes CDPHD almost $50 million in claims.

He thinks this plan is patient-centered, budget-conscious, and equitable to all workers.

According to McKenna, one issue is that nurses can work for the hospital without having to be a member of the union. McKenna stated that nurses he speaks with are content with the current situation, and the union is enforcing that change.

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It’s just unfair to our nurses. Most of our nurses don’t pay dues these days. Some nurses are unwilling to pay dues. He stated that nurses should not have to forgo their hard-earned money in order to maintain their professional status at Albany Med.

The New York State Nurses Association has been contacted by NewsChannel 13 for a statement. If we receive a response, we will notify you.

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