About NYPNU

 Brief History of NYPNU

The Registered Nurses at Lenox Hill  Hospital were first organized into a union in 1980 by Local 1199, the Health Care Workers Union.  By 1984 a number of the staff nurses were disillusioned with the representation provided by Local 1199.  They considered affiliating with other unions, but ultimately decided that the best union for Lenox Hill staff nurses would be one devoted exclusively to representing them.  Thus, the New York Professional Nurses Union (NYPNU) was born. 

The staff nurses then launched a drive to decertify Local 1199, and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ordered an election in December 1984.   The options on the ballot included Local 1199, no union, and NYPNU.  NYPNU won a majority of the votes cast and the NLRB certified the Union as the exclusive bargaining agent for staff nurses in early 1985.

President Maureen McCarthy, RN, Esq., and, Vice-President Kathy Flynn, RN, Esq., lead the union while working as full-time nurses at Lenox Hill.  Along with the rest of the Officers, Delegates and membership, they successfully negotiated contracts in 1985, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006 and most recently October 2009.

 In 2000 Lenox Hill Hospital acquired Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital (MEETH), and the staff nurses at MEETH became members of NYPNU. 

For the first time, the 2003 contract explicitly included per diems RNs.  Since then, Case Managers, Nurse Practitioners and Lactation Specialists have also joined NYPNU.   The inclusion of all of these additional members has added to our strength. 

At times, NYPNU has assisted staff nurses at other hospitals in creating independent unions, including nurses at Physician's Hospital in Queens, at St. Barnabas Hospital in New Jersey and at the Kansas University Hospital in Kansas.

NYPNU’s successful history provides the foundation for our future achievements.  While some of the faces may change over the years, our members’ strength, dedication and solidarity remain the same.  Welcome to LHH/MEETH, and welcome to your new union!