Albany Med, NYSNA meet amid ongoing contract negotiations

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Albany Medical Center and the New York State Nursing Association participated in a meeting on Monday. Nurses at Albany Med are demanding a fair contract from the healthcare provider.

Albany Med nurses have been working without a contract since August 1, freezing pay rates even for those who are due for a raise. The union representing nurses said more needs to be done to improve staffing and cut down on wait times. Albany Med maintains their staffing plans have been compliant with the law.

The nursing association's bargaining committee commented on Monday's proceedings. They said in-part: "On Friday afternoon, the Department of Health finally delivered a Staffing Deficiency Report to Albany Medical Center, which was confirmed at the bargaining table. However, during today’s bargaining session, management refused to provide NYSNA nurses with a copy of the report, as required by law."

NEWS10 reached out to Albany Med ahead of the meeting. They provided a statement, saying in-part: "We remain committed to reaching an agreement that holds true to our guiding principles of fairness to all employees, quality patient care, and fiscal responsibility." They did not provide a follow-up response Monday night after the meeting.