Nurses At Long Island Jewish Medical Center To Vote On Unionizing

NEW HYDE PARK, NY — Nurses at Northwell Health/Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJ) are a step closer to unionizing. They filed a petition on Wednesday with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to vote for joining the New York State Nurses Association.

Nurses at LIJ have been organizing for months, demanding safe staffing for patient care.

The NLRB will set a date for the in-person election. Thousands of nurses represent the NYSNA from nine Northwell hospitals in New York, the union said.

"We respect our team members' rights to explore joining a union and remain committed to continue working in partnership with our nurses and all team members to deliver the best care to our patients," Northwell Health said in a statement.

NYSNA nurses continue to bargain for fair contracts at three other Northwell facilities on Long Plainview, Syosset and Huntington Hospitals. NYSNA nurses across New York have won strong contracts in recent years, including at Northwell South Shore University Hospital earlier this year, and at LIJ Valley Stream in 2024.

“We have worked really hard over the past several months to show the hospital that we are united and that we will not stop until we are recognized as a union and our voice is respected," Jean Butler, a registered nurse from the LIJ Ambulatory Surgery Unit said. "Nurses are overworked, burnt out, and are demanding more for the patients we care for and our coworkers! We are so excited for this election and to finally join NYSNA and have the strength of NYSNA nurses with us.”

NYSNA is the voice of RNs throughout the Northwell system, representing over 4,000 members at seven facilities throughout Long Island and Staten Island.