SIUH / 1199 Negotiation Update – 11/18/2020

Yesterday we had our 19th negotiation session with 1199 as we work toward establishing a new collective bargaining agreement for our physician assistants (PAs).

It was a milestone session as we made our first segue into discussions about economic topics. As has been our approach throughout these negotiations, we began by seeking common ground on the smaller issues – which are theoretically easier to resolve – before opening up the conversation to bigger topics, such as salary and benefits. Still, this shift to the economic phase of the negotiations represents the unwavering hard work and collaboration of both parties.

In light of the challenging economic circumstances confronting the healthcare industry, and the corresponding budgetary impact on Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH), we want to be upfront in stating that many of the union’s costly economic proposals are simply unrealistic. As we stated at the onset of negotiations, we are fully committed to negotiating in good faith toward a contract that balances the needs of both parties while reflecting the unique professional status of our PAs. We look forward to continuing the economic discussion at our next session on Dec. 11, and will keep you updated.

If you haven’t already done so, please sign up for text message updates from SIUH by texting SIUHPA to 77295.

Thank you for your continued interest in the negotiations.