Nearly 400 members bargained around the clock to secure the union’s master contract covering 86,000 healthcare workers in the New York metropolitan area.

It was not until 5:30 in the morning that all the behind-the-scenes organizing in the shops and the round-the-clock negotiations came together to produce a new agreement on June 30.

At that moment, the 1199 bargaining committee, made up of nearly 400 rank-and-file members representing 86,000 healthcare workers at 90 locations, secured annual wage increases of 4 percent while protecting industry-leading benefits for workers covered under the League of Voluntary Hospitals and Homes master contract.

The agreement was finalized with an early morning handshake between Yvonne Armstrong, President of 1199SEIU, and Marc Kramer, President of the League.

Their agreement was the culmination of countless workplace conversations, weeks of shop-floor actions, "marches on the boss," sticker days, and the delivery of oversized Medigram petitions signed by members.

The contract campaign also included a high-energy rally in Lower Manhattan that drew thousands of members and support from elected officials across New York.

All of this was accomplished three months before the contract's expiration, allowing members to shift their attention toward broader political organizing efforts in advance of the midterm elections.

A Voice for Every Member

Allison Jumett, an 1199 Delegate and Respiratory Therapist at Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital in Brooklyn, described the emotions she felt when the agreement was reached.

“In the morning when we realized that we got an amazing contract, I felt elated. I felt like a load was lifted off my shoulders and I had the power to go back into the shops and say, guys, this is what we got for you all. We won.”

“Service and clerical had a voice. Nursing had a voice. Protech had a voice.”

Members repeatedly emphasized that the bargaining process reflected the diversity of the workforce and ensured that every occupational group had representation at the table.

Winning in a Challenging Environment

Ngomo Ekokobe, an 1199 Delegate and Pharmacy Specialist at Montefiore Hospital Moses Campus in the Bronx, noted the significance of the agreement in the current political climate.

“In this political environment, the fact that we were able to secure a wage increase alone is wild.”

The League agreement remains one of the most significant healthcare labor contracts in the United States and covers the largest bargaining unit within 1199SEIU, the nation's largest healthcare union.

The three-year contract preserves members' health insurance, which includes no premiums, deductibles, or copays, while protecting their defined-benefit pension plan and other contractual gains.

“At a time when Washington, DC, is making unprecedented cuts to healthcare funding, this contract is a huge win for caregivers who are the bedrock of our healthcare system and essential to maintaining standards for high-quality patient care.”

— Yvonne Armstrong, 1199SEIU President

Moving Toward RN Parity

Scheena Tannis, an 1199 Delegate and Critical Care RN at Brookdale Hospital in Brooklyn, highlighted what she viewed as a major breakthrough for union nurses.

The agreement establishes a dedicated fund to address local RN priorities such as shift differentials, longevity pay, safe staffing concerns, and other issues affecting recruitment and retention.

“This contract finally creates space for 1199 nurses to begin to rectify longstanding inequities in compensation.”

One Union

Diane McClary-Nichols, an 1199 Delegate and Senior Secretary at Montefiore Medical Center Moses Campus, credited member solidarity as a key factor in reaching the agreement.

“We didn't let management divide us. We are one union.”

“We remembered that we got substantial increases last time because the 1199 Nurses did not leave us behind. Management tried to cut a deal. We said one union. It is all or nothing.”

Members stressed that maintaining unity across job classifications helped strengthen the union's bargaining position throughout negotiations.

Protecting the Future

In addition to wages and benefits, the contract includes increased funding for childcare benefits, protects the Job Security and Training Fund, provides layoff protections for members with more than ten years of service, and establishes a committee to review the impact of artificial intelligence on healthcare workplaces.

Calvin Elliott, a veteran Delegate and Window Washer in the Environmental Services Department at Northwell South Oaks Hospital on Long Island, emphasized the value of these gains.

“Looking at what we're facing down the line, in terms of Medicaid cuts, I think it was a wonderful contract.”

“When we went back to the shops, people were thanking us for fighting so hard at the table to get a fair contract without having to strike.”

Elliott also pointed to the additional funding secured for childcare benefits and the creation of a legal defense fund for immigrant members.

“That will really help our Haitian brothers and sisters.”

A Fight Worth Winning

Yolanda Delgado, an 1199 Delegate and Occupational Therapist at Mary Manning Walsh Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center, underscored the importance of protecting members' healthcare benefits.

“Este fue una pelea que tuvimos que ganar. Sabemos que hubo muchas dificultades. Nuestras familias dependen en nuestros beneficios. No podemos pagar ningunas tarifas extra.”

“This was a fight we had to win. We know there were many difficulties. Our families depend on our benefits. We cannot afford to pay any extra copays.”

Ikimi Scott, an 1199 Delegate and Therapeutic Recreation Leader at Silvercrest Extended Care Facility in Queens, emphasized the importance of member participation throughout the campaign.

“I told members, if you want percentage increases and improved benefits, I need you to show up.”

“You can't say you want those things and not show up for a few hours. Numbers are power.”

“If management sees us showing up in numbers then they are going to be afraid. And they're not going to want us to strike.”

“The whole goal was to show up now, so that we didn't have to strike.”

“We didn't let management divide us. We are one union.”

— Diane McClary-Nichols, Senior Secretary at Montefiore Medical Center Moses Campus

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