A.O. Fox Hospital and nurses union reach agreement

ONEONTA, N.Y. — A.O. Fox Hospital leadership has reached an agreement with the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) union for a collective-bargaining agreement for registered nurses at the hospital.

The deal comes after several months of negotiations, A.O. Fox Hospital announced in a press release. The hospital is part of Bassett Healthcare Network.

“We were able to reach an agreement after less than four months of negotiating, more quickly than is typical for this process, that will best meet the needs of our nurses while we continue to prioritize providing the highest quality care possible to our patients and communities,” Joan MacDonald, chief nursing officer and VP of patient services at A.O. Fox, said in the release. “I am very proud of the expertise, support, and dedication our leadership team demonstrated.”

A.O. Fox Hospital did not disclose financial details of the agreement.

“We deeply appreciate the extraordinary work our nurses do each day to care for our patients and communities,” Angela Belmont, senior VP, chief nursing executive at Bassett Healthcare Network, said. “We are committed to continuing our efforts to recruit and retain nurses and other clinical staff to our local area. For nurses and other clinical professionals working to grow their careers at Bassett Healthcare Network, we are always developing new educational opportunities, supportive ways to earn certifications and clinical experiences, and pathways to grow into leadership positions.”

Bassett has extended its sign-on bonuses of up to $35,000 for registered nurses, up to $20,000 for many other clinical positions, and up to $10,000 for other types of positions. It also offers referral bonuses to employees who help refer candidates to all positions.

Along with A.O. Fox Hospital, Bassett Healthcare Network includes four other corporately affiliated hospitals along with community-based and school-based health centers and two skilled-nursing facilities.