St. Charles Campus Nurses Ratify Three-Year Contract, Averting Strike

Nurses at Good Samaritan University Hospital's St. Charles Campus cast their ballots Friday and voted by a wide margin to approve a new three-year labor agreement, pulling back from the brink of a strike that had been set to start Monday.

The New York State Nursing Association's collective bargaining unit at the Port Jefferson hospital closed its vote at 7 p.m., with 91 percent of members backing the deal. Union officials said talks with hospital management yielded a tentative agreement late Wednesday night and stretched into the early hours of Thursday morning.

Among the contract's central provisions are strengthened, enforceable safe staffing standards — including the addition of new nurses and the establishment of a float pool to ensure adequate coverage — as well as a new expedited process for enforcing those standards. Workers will also gain fresh protections against workplace violence, with measures such as upgraded security patrols and panic buttons that staff members can carry on their person.

On pay, the contract calls for yearly base wage hikes of 4 percent in the first year, 3 percent in the second, and 4 percent in the third, supplemented by further wage increases designed to attract, develop, and hold onto seasoned nurses. Retiree health benefits are set to grow as well. The agreement also shields workers from disciplinary action for using sick leave and establishes guardrails around artificial intelligence, mandating that management provide notice and engage in discussion before introducing new technology.

Rob Barone, president of the union's local bargaining unit and an intensive care nurse, called the outcome a victory for patient safety as well as staff. "This vote shows that nurses are excited about what we were able to achieve and committed to move forward to make St. Charles an incredible resource for this community — now and into the future," he said.

In a statement, hospital management said the ratified contract "reflects our shared commitment to investing in our nurses, supporting the exceptional care they provide, and continuing to deliver excellent patient care." Management added: "We believe this agreement is fair to both parties and positions us well for the future."

The vote came after more than 99 percent of nurses had previously authorized a strike. In May, nurses lodged 244 unresolved staffing complaints — the highest single-month total recorded during the 18 months that the state has been investigating conditions at the hospital.