Page 8 - Work Force October 2025

Nassau University Medical Center
Unit forms own CSEA local
EAST MEADOW — Under the
leadership of CSEA President Mary
E. Sullivan, CSEA’s Nassau University
Medical Center [NUMC] Unit recently
became its own union local.
The decision to transform the
unit into a local was a logical move
because the hospital became
a public benefit corporation in
September 1999 and operates under
its own contract.
Now known as CSEA Nassau
University Medical Center Local
831, the new local encompasses the
hospital, A. Holly Patterson Extended
Care Facility and Nassau County Jail.
“This change gives our NUMC
members a stronger, more unified
voice in the workplace,” said
Sullivan. “By becoming their own
local, they are taking ownership of
their future, and that’s what union
power is all about.”
“The process was able to move
quickly because we had President
Sullivan’s full endorsement,” said
CSEA Nassau University Medical
Center Local 831 President Shakira
Settles. “The members of the NUMC
Local Board work in the hospital.
We know what members working
here need because those are our
needs, too.”
Also giving her full support is
Gov. Kathy Hochul. Earlier this
year, the governor took crucial
Hundreds of
NUMC Local 831
members attend
a series of
meetings where
they were
introduced
to their new
local and unit
officers.
steps to stabilize the hospital’s
finances and restructure its board.
Hochul appointed key experienced
professionals to the NUMC Board
who have proven that they are
capable and willing to work with the
community and CSEA.
Local officers will be working
closely with our union’s A. Holly
Patterson Unit officers, who recently
joined the local board for a series
of meetings to update members
about their work location’s new
status in CSEA.
The group also joined forces for
the CSEA Long Island Region’s recent
Member Engagement Blitz, visiting
local members at their homes to
discuss the decision to become their
own local and how the move will
positively affect members.
It helps that several members of
the NUMC Local Board are former
employees of A. Holly Patterson, so
they understand the worksite and
some of the workers. Unit officers
will be training at the NUMC Local
office to add uniformity to the way
the local and unit boards conduct
business and process important
documents.
“The plan is for the local to be a
support to the A. Holly Patterson
Unit, who is in the capable hands
of their president [Melody Foskey
Easterling],” said Settles. “She will
take the lead there and we will come
together for member meetings when
there is a larger issue affecting the
entire local.”
For the future, the new local and
unit leaders are looking forward to
continuing their member engagement
efforts.
HIPAA restrictions prevent local
officers from walking the floors of the
hospital and nursing home to speak
with members. As an alternative,
local officers will set up a table
outside of the NUMC cafeteria where
they will hand out CSEA giveaways
and speak with members about
union issues. They will be repeating
these efforts with the A. Holly
Patterson Extended Care Facility Unit
officers in front of their unit office,
along with extended office hours for
both groups of members.
Additionally, local officers are
aiming to strengthen their shop
steward network by identifying
members that want to be a voice for
their work area.
Even though NUMC becoming a
local is a major change, the officers’
consistency will stay the same.
“We’ll continue to do the best job
that we can for our members,” said
Settles. “We’re looking forward to
this journey. Officers and members
will progress together.”
— Wendi Bowie
8 The Work Force CSEA NUMC Local 831 President
Shakira Settles leads a member
meeting at A. Holly Patterson about
the unit’s change in local status.
CSEA A. Holly Patterson Extended
Care Facility Unit President Melody
Foskey Easterling drops literature
at a member’s home during our
union’s recent member engagement
visit.
October 2025