Nurses at The Brooklyn Hospital Center say they were stunned to learn late last week that their health care benefits had been cut off, a move their union calls a violation of an agreement meant to prevent a strike at the hospital.
“This has never happened. We’ve had our struggles in the past as a safety net hospital,” said nurse Rehana Lowtan.
That changed, nurses say, on Jan. 31, when Lowtan and her colleagues learned they had lost their health care benefits.
What You Need To Know
Nurses at The Brooklyn Hospital Center say their health care benefits were cut off Jan. 31
The nurses’ union accuses the hospital of failing to contribute to benefits since October
The hospital says it is working with the state and union to secure funding and restore benefits
The dispute comes amid a weeks-long strike by about 15,000 nurses in New York City
Their union, the New York Nurses Association, says the hospital has failed to uphold an agreement reached to avert a strike — one that required the hospital to maintain nurses’ health care and pension benefits.
The union accuses the hospital of failing to contribute to those benefits since October.
“They’re delinquent right now — November, December and January,” Lowtan said.
Nurses said they are worried about how to support themselves and their families.
“Any upcoming medication refills that I need for my daughter right now, I’ll probably have to pay out of pocket for, which is very expensive,” said nurse Janelle Mathew.
Nurses were joined by union members and elected officials outside the hospital Monday, demanding the hospital resume paying for their benefits.
In November, the hospital’s CEO warned the facility would need to file for bankruptcy if Gov. Kathy Hochul did not approve $160 million in funding to pay health care workers, upgrade its electronic medical records system and purchase medicine.
In a statement to NY1, a spokesperson for The Brooklyn Hospital Center said the hospital values its nurses and recognizes that medical benefits are essential.
“The immediate issue is securing the funds necessary to continue covering those medical benefits,” the statement read. “We are working closely with NYSNA and with the Hochul Administration on a solution, and we remain committed to reaching a resolution that keeps our colleagues whole while ensuring uninterrupted, safe patient care.”
The dispute comes as roughly 15,000 NYSNA nurses from three hospital systems — Mount Sinai, NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore — continue a weeks-long strike.
On Monday, dozens of union members marched to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office, demanding a new contract that honors their demands, similar to the agreement reached with NYSNA and The Brooklyn Hospital Center.
The Brooklyn Hospital Center received part of the funding it requested from the state late last year but says it still needs additional support.
Meanwhile, negotiations continue at the three hospital systems where the strike is ongoing. Mount Sinai, NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore say they have made what they call a “fair, reasonable and responsible” economic proposal that includes annual wage increases and continued health care and pension benefits, and that they are reviewing the union’s remaining proposals as talks continue.